
y^ V/ t^j.<. /Jl<^'//Ci'l ^y^'r^Y/ "dl. 



IFE '^i^^^'-'^/^'^ 



L 

AND 

ADMINISTRATION 

OF THE EIGHT HON. 

SPENCER PERCEVAL; 

INCLUDING 

A COPIOUS NARRATIVE 

of every Event of Importance, Foreign and Domestic, from 
his Entrance into Public Life, to the Present Time ; 

A 

DETAIL OF HIS ASSASSINATION, 

^c. ^c-. Sfc. 

•WITH 

1 HE PROBABLE CONSEQUENCES OF THE SUDDEN OVERTHROW 

OF THE 

REMJIJ\^ OF HIS .ilJMLXISTBdTIOA^. 

Sfc. Sfc. 

AXD 

A DEVELOPMENT 

OF THE 

DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 

BY < 

CHARLES VERULAM WILLIAMS, ESQ. 

■vwvwvwvw I ; f) 7 

PHILADELPHIA, "^y^ .^^^ 

PRlNTEiD FOR JOHN CONRAD>--'l^*155L^-^ 

Sold by W. W. Wo^idward, David Hogan, Anthony Finley, 
B. & T. Kite, Moses Thomas, and C. Conrad; Inskeep & 
Bradford, New-York; E.J. Coale, Baltimore; and Williawi 
F. Gray, Fredericksburg-, Vir. 

T. & G. Palmer, printers. 

1813. 



n. 



t^ 






INTRODUCTION. 



Though in this account of Mr. Perce- 
val's administration of public affairs it has 
been the chief object of the compiler to 
suppress all party feelings, in order tliat 
events should justify or condemn their 
authors, yet as consequences have ocarred 
since Mr. Perceval's decease, naturally re 
suiting from the system he pursued, the 
reader will probably trace the acts of a 
succession of years, all uniformly tending 
to produce an era, which, with respect to 
the country at large, is without any pre- 
cedent. 



IV INTKODUCTION. 

Notwithstanding the general sympathy 
first expressed at Mr. Perceval's untimely 
fate, it seems the fall of the Man rather than 
that of the Minister has been most de- 
plored ; tills is evident from the subsequent 
refusal of so many eminent characters to act 
with his friends, though solicited by the first 
ruithority in the kingdom. — Thus, since his 
demise, most of his measures have already 
l>cen openly or tacitly condemned. 

M'lie immense drains upon the country 
at large (and Mr. Perceval's budget for this 
year was to have added Two Millions to 
she taxes) for the support of the war in 
>ipain, amounting to Twenty Millions a 
vcar, with a diminished prospect of suc- 
cess; while the Orders hi Council shut us 
out of almost every port in Europe and 
America, have alienated the hearts of nine- 
tenths of the people from public measures, if 
not from public men : — heucCj brooding in sc. 



INTRODUCTION. V 

I ret, over ealamities apparently irremediable, 
the spirits of revenge, rapine, and assassina- 
tion, have stalked abroad in open day-light; 
and, instead of being dreaded and detested 
as heretofore, seem to be viewed by the 
people with levity and indifference, if not 
with secret satisfaction: as if the shocking 
devastations they have produced, were only 
a just retaliation upon those, whom it is sup- 
posed are daily heaping distress upon public 
bodies equally with private individuals. 

On this ground, it has been observed, that 
** every crime has its slmde; and that even 
assassination, the greatest of all crimes, so 
universally condemned, has its distinctions^ 
which lessen, in the general estimation of 
mankind, the enormity of its guilt!" Further, 
with respect to Mr. Bellingham, whose 
part has been so fatally conspicuous in the 
life of Mr. Perceval, it has been observed, 



VI INTRODUCTION. 

that, if he had been one of those political 
assassins recommended by some of the venal 
prints; or, if, on the other hand, "he had 
been engaged by France or America to ex- 
terminate the man, whom they consider (no 
matter how erroneously) as the great obsta- 
cle to peace, there would then have been no 
difference of opinion respecting the atrocity 
of a doctrine so diabolical by its practical 
effects on the first minister of the country." 
And yet the unfortunate man who could de- 
liberately devote himself to certain death, 
and his children to the chance of infamy and 
want, rather than suffer the love of life to 
soften his resentment, though an acute suf- 
ferer, was perhaps not many degrees more so 
than hundreds of his survivors, who, like 
him, have experienced the sad reverses of a 
declining commerce. 

The thoughts on the sudden overthrow of 



INTRODUCTION. Vli 

Mr. Perceval's administration, are derived 
from facts alone, and require no support 
from any party in or out of power. 

In the development of the Delicate In- 
vestigation, much new light is thrown upon 
that transaction, and the public are now put 
upon their guard against any of the impo- 
sitions that have appeared in print, pre- 
tending to detail particulars which never ex- 
isted but in the imagination of the writers. 

The most important of the correspondence 
between Marquis Wellesley, the Earl of 
Liverpool, Mr. Canning, and others, we 
have included in this Work. This strange 
negociation has assumed a different shape 
almost every day. The parties, it has been 
observed, ** have been twisted and divided 
and united again in all possible forms ; but 
up to the 28th of May (nearly three weeks 
since the death of Mr. Perceval), no concor- 
dant body had been made up of them !" 



VUl INTRODUCTION. 

The last reports on the subject were, tliat 
Marquis Wellesley had retired and given 
up the task of farming a Ministry to Earl 
Moira. It is certain, that the state into which 
the Country has been thrown by the sudden 
assassination of the prime minister, is sin- 
gularly awful and alarming; it is still hoped, 
that by the more auspicious interference 
of Divine Providence, the calamities which 
seem to be threatened by the disunion of 
the parties, may yet be averted, and har- 
mony once more restored to our divided 
councils. 



MEMOIRS 

or THE 

LiFiE AJ\rD ADMIJVISTRdTIOJ^r 

OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 

SPENCER PERCEVAL. 

Mr. PERCEVAL, the late Chancellor of 
the Exchequer, was descended from a very 
ancient family ; and it has been mentioned as 
a remarkable ciixumstance concerning them, 
*' that their ancestors, for more than a cen- 
tur}-, had been engaged, in some shape or 
another, in public affairs, but chiefly in col- 
lecting the revenues of the sister kingdom." 
The first of them who went to Ireland was 
John, Lord Lovel: this was at the request 
of Richard IL 

But as the minds of men, in general, love 
to dwell upon the memory of departed 
worth, or fallen greatness; and as it may 
be particularly gratifying to the numerous 



:^ LIFE AND ADMINISTRAl i..^ ^^, 

admirers of the late Premier, to trace i.. 
long line of his ancestry, be it recollected, 
that the Perceval family originally sprung 
from Robert, a younger son of Eudes, So- 
vereign Duke of Brittany. Having been 
transplanted into Normandy, they were 
possessed of the Castle of Yvery at the Con- 
quest, and invested with the office of here- 
ditary butler of the duchy. Two of the 
family, Robert and Roger de Yvery, ac- 
companied William I. to England : from 
the former of these, the late Earl of Eg- 
mont was supposed to have been descended. 
The latter of them, with one Richard 
D'Oily, another invader, afterwards mu- 
tually divided between them several of the 
English estates, obtained either by marriage 
or by the sword. 

Ascelin Gouel, called also Gouel de Per- 
cheval and Gouel de Yvery, was surnamed 
Lupus, whence the English title of Lovel 
was taken; he engaged in the petty wars of 
Normandy, in consequence of a quarrel 
with the Earl of Breteuil, who wished to 
punish his younger brother William, for 
ravishing a woman at Pacey, a town belong- 
ing to him. 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. O 

Robert, his eldest son, in IIP', took arms 
against King Henry I. with other malcon- 
tents, and was deprived of his lordship of 
Yvery in consequence of his rebellion, after 
which he remained a loyal subject. 

His next brother, William Gouel de Per- 
cheval, sur named also Lu pell us, or the Lit- 
tle Wolf, who inherited the lordship of 
Yvery, engaged in arms against the king; 
but his party being beaten at the battle of 
Thurold, he was taken prisoner by a pea- 
sant, whom he bribed wdth his arms to let 
him escape. Having been shaved, he reached 
the banks of the Seine, where, being desti- 
tute of money, he was obliged to give his 
shoes to the boatman, in consequence of 
which he returned home barefooted. — It was 
he who afterwards completed the castle of 
Kary, in Somersetshire, and, with other 
barons, armed it against King Stephen. 

To him succeeded Henry Lupellus, and 
his brother William, whose nick-name was 
softened into Lovel. The son of the latter, 
John, second Lord Lovel, was summoned 
to Bristol, in the 41st of Henry HI. to at- 
tend the king into Wales; and John, third 



4 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

Lord Lovel of Tichmarsh, was summoned 
to Parliament in the 28th of Edward II. 

John, Lord Lovel, seventh of that name, 
was a Knight of the Garter; and was first 
with the barons against the king, and after- 
wards with the king, against the barons! He 
was the first of the family employed by 
Richard 11. who, as mentioned before, sent 
him twice to Ireland. 

Francis, Lord Lovel and Holland, also 
perceiving that his father had lost consider- 
ably by his attachment to the house of Lqa- 
<;aster, courted the favour of the house pf 
York, and in the 22d of Edward IV. was 
created a Viscount, appointed Lord Chjjm>% 
berlain of the Household, Constable of the 
Castle of Wallingford, and Chief Butler ojf 
England. He aftervvar4s fled from, tl^^ bat- 
tle of Bos worth, and v/ent to Ireland in th^ 
service of Lambert Simnel, the counterfeit 
^uke of York, for which he was attainted 
ip the reign of Henry VII. 

The male branch of the family, however, 
\yas still continued by William, Lord Lovel 
of Morley, till his son Henry, being killed 
at Dixmudc, it became extinct : on this 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 5 

Alice, his sister, succeeded to the Baronies, 
&c., which, together with the hereditary 
office of Lord Marshal of Ireland, she con- 
veyed to her husband. Sir William Parker, 
Knight, Lord Morley in her right. Their 
lineal descendant and sole male heir was 
Sir Philip Parker a Morley Long, Barunet ; 
A\hose sister, Catherine Parker, became the 
\>^ife of John, first Earl of Egmont, and 
mother to the late Earl. 

Richard Perceval, Lord of Sydenham, 
born in 1551, was a man of extraordinary 
parts, which, in the early portion of his life, 
were equalled at least by his indiscretion ; 
but having become accidentally acquainted 
^vith Lord Burleigli, he employed him in 
several important transactions ; and it w^as 
he who dccyphered a dispatch from the court 
of Spain, giving the first regular intimation 
of the Armada. Her Majesty, Queen Eli- 
zabeth, on this account, nominated Richard 
Perceval Secretary to the Court of Wards 
in England; and he was sent to Ireland 
twice, with the view of extending its powers 
there. In 1616 he was nominated Registrar 
of that Court. His son. Sir Philip, suc- 
cee(Jed him, and obtained a reversionary 
B 2 



6 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

grant of his office, with his father's estates, 
estimated, at ;f4000 per annum, besides 
^60,000 in stock, &c. 

This, knight sided with Charles I. and 
lost nearly the whole of his fortune during 
the troubles ; but when no longer able to op- 
pose the Parliament with success, he yielded 
to the stream of power and opinion : for in 
1641-2 he was appointed Commissary-Ge- 
neral of the Irish army, with a salary of 
^3 7*. 6d. per day. In 1642, being Pro- 
vidore-General of the Horse, he began: to 
be considered at Oxford as a "round- head;" 
and in 1644, accepting the offers made him 
by Pym and Holies, he became a member 
of the Hump or Long Parliament ; and, dy- 
ing in 1647, was buried by the order, and at 
the expence of that body. 

Sir John Perceval, his eldest son, having 
acquired the esteem of Henry Cromwell, 
this obtained for him a restoration of his 
estates ; and as he had profited by all former 
changes, with one single exception, so on 
the Revolution he was created a baronet. 

In 1662 he was restored to the place of 
Registrar of the Court of Wards, and suc- 
cessively to other places of honour and emo- 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 7 

lument. Sir John Perceval, his son, cj: 
tained a variety of hicrative offices in Ire- 
Ijuid. — Sir Edward, his grandson, is said Xp 
have sustained a loss to the amount of 
;^40,000 during the disorders there, subse- 
quent to the Revolution of 1688. Sir John 
Egmont, his brother, who became the first 
Earl of Egmont, went to Ireland with the 
Duke of Ormond, in 1704; and in 1732 
was appointed President imder the Cliarter 
for peopling the Province of Georgia. 

Dying of a paralytic affection in 1748, he 
was succeeded by his eldest son John, se- 
cond and late Ecirl of Egmont, and father 
of the late Right Honourable Spencer Per- 
ceval. His lordship died in 1770; and had 
by his first wife five sons and two daughters, 
and by his second three sons and six daugh- 
ters. 

The Right Honourable Spencer Perceval 
was born at his father's house in Audley- 
street, Nov. 1, 1762. — He was named after 
his uncle Spencer, his father having mar- 
ried Catherine Compton, sister to the eighth 
and late Earl of Northampton. The father 
of the late Premier died also of a paralytic 
stroke, when his son was only eight years of 



8 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

«3e; but having a house at Charlton, near 
Greenwich, young Mr. Perceval was brought 
up there. At a proper age he was removed 
to Harrow School, and from thence to Tri- 
nity College, where one of his progenitors 
had been educated, with Henry, son of 
Oliver Cromwell. Mr. Perceval was then a 
contemporary with tlie Hon. L. Saville, af- 
terwards Earl of Scarborough ; the Hon. 
L. Dundas ; and Messrs. Garnett, Rippon, 
Lefevre, Owen, Thornton, Sec. 

Mr. Perceval having obtained the degree 
of M. A. this shortened the road to the bar, 
as he was soon entered a Bencher of Lin- 
coln's- inn. He began his professional ca- 
reer by accompanying the Judges on the 
Midland Circuit, on which he was opposed 
to Mr. Serjeant Vaughan, and first distin- 
guished himself on the trial of George Tho- 
mas, of Brackley, in Northamptonshire, for 
forgery, against whom he was retained as 
counsel ; Mr. Law, now Lord EUenborough, 
was on the other side. 

But though Mr. Perceval continued to 
practise in the Courts of King's Bench and 
Chancery, it was upon a very limited scale ; 
he was, notwithstanding, considered as a 



THE RIGHT HON. 3. PERCEVAL, 9 

person in the way of promotion — as it was 
not long before he was appointed Counsel 
to the Admiralty; and, at the age of thirty - 
seven, obtained a silk gown. His own 
University also paid him a high compliment, 
by nominating him as one of its two coun- 
sel. 

From this period (1799) his professional 
preferments were rapid; for in 1801 he suc- 
ceeded Sir W. Grant, then Master of the 
Rolls; and in the following year became 
Attorney-General, in the place of Sir Ed- 
ward Law, now Lord Ellenborough, and 
Chief Justice-^and here he remained sta- 
tionar}^' until he was necessarily removed, in 
consequence of the Talent Ministi^y being 
admitted into power under Mr, Fox an4 
Lord Grenville, in 1806. This, of course, 
for a while, threw Mr. Perceval into the 
ranks of the opposition. 

It has just been observed, that Mr. Per- 
ceval, very early in life, was looked upon as 
a rising character. This opinion might 
have originated in his zeal, as well as in his 
ability; for, while a young man at the bar, 
he is said to have spoken of all those who 
differed with him w^ith a certain degree of 



10 Life and administration of 

asperity, and at times to have treated the 
assertors of popular rights as Jacobins. — 
More practice, and a mature age, certainly 
dulcified his expressions, though his princi- 
ples ever remained the same. 

As the practice of Mr. Perceval Wcis never 
very extensive, neither in Chancery, nor in 
Westminster- Hall, it is not surprising he 
should determine altogether on a parlia- 
mentary hfe. With Mr. Pitt, though so ar- 
dent an admirer of his eloquence, as to place 
himself in the gallery whenever he spoke, 
he had but little acquaintance. At Cam- 
bridge, Mr. Pitt had been a Johnian; but 
he was Mr. Perceval's senior by three years, 
and retired from the University before Mr. 
Perceval's name was entered : however, he 
recommended himself most effectually to the 
notice of that celebrated orator, by means 
of a political pamphlet, in which the son 
kept up the family pretensions to literature; 
and exhibited that taste for composition, 
which had induced Horace Walpole to in- 
sert the name of the Earl of Egmont in his 
" Catalogue of Noble Authors." The ob. 
ject of Mr. Perceval's pamphlet, which had 
the good fortune thus to please Mr. Pitt, 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 11 

was to prove, that an impeachment did not 
abate by a dissolution of Parliament — a doc- 
trine highly constitutional. 

A fortunate event, in consequence of fa- 
mily connections, gave Mr. Perceval an op- 
portunity of gratifying his most sanguine 
wishes, in furnishing him with an op- 
portunity of displaying his prowess and pa- 
triotism in St. Stephen's Chapel : for, on 
account of the death of his uncle by the 
mother's side, in April, 1797, a vacancy for 
the representation of the borough of North- 
ampton took place, as his first cousin, Lord 
Compton, by succeeding to the Earldom, 
of course vacated his seat. He and Mr. 
Perceval had both been Trinity men, ^nd 
nearly of the same standing. 

As the influence of the Comptons had 
long been very considerable, particularly 
since their residence at Castle Ashby, Mr. 
Perceval, who had been nominated Deputy 
Recorder, was accordingly, by the exertion 
of the same influence, returned one of the 
Members, and continued to be a representa- 
tive for Northampton till the day of his death. 

Some persons, when speaking of this gen- 
:eman since his death, had said, that he 



12 iJl¥t A>fD ADMIJriSTRAtlON 01 P 

had given up a lucrative practice, and thai 
he rehictantly relinquished that profession 
for the service of his country. Mr. Whit- 
bread, when the question was before the 
Mouse, as to the manner of rewarding Mr. 
Perceval's services, remarked, " that his ca^ 
reer was his own choice. He was bred to 
the Bar; he afterwards obtained a seat in 
Parliament; he then quitted the Bar froitl 
choice- — not being called on m the first in- 
stance to abandon his profession. The fact 
was, that several eminent offices in the law 
had been offered to Mr. Perceval, which he 
declined, choosing rather to continue in poli- 
tical life." 

Like many aspiring men, Mr. Perceval 
did not commence his parliamentary career 
with a set speech, but contented himself the 
first time he spoke with saying a few words 
in support of Mr. Pitt, who, on June 2, 1797, 
had brought in a bill, in consequence of the 
commotions at the Nore, " for the bettet 
prevention and punishment of traiterous at- 
tempts to excite sedition and mutiny in his 
Majesty's service." On this occasion Mr. 
Perceval suggested a mode for avoiding de- 
tey, and for conciliadng all parties, by de- 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 13 

nominating the offence felony, but within the 
benefit of clergy ; he also proposed that there 
should be a discretionary power, either of 
transportation or imprisonment, both of which 
amendments were adopted. 

On die 4th of January, 1807, having uni- 
formly supported the minister, he also sup- 
ported in a long and able speech " the as- 
sessed tax bill," but principally by replying 
to Mr. Hobhouse, wlio had spoken against it. 

He began, after a short preface, by replying 
to what had been advanced by Mr. Hobhouse in 
opposition to it, and contended, " that he, not 
Mr. H. was ' pleading the cause of property,' b) 
supporting the measure, which was to protect it;. 
It had been contended," he added, " by an ho- 
nourable baronet (Sir Francis Burdett), that the 
, application of the money would enable ministers 
to carry on a war against liberty ; but if the pre- 
sent war was a war against liberty, it was that 
species of liberty against which, he trusted, we 
should ever bear arms — it was against the impor- 
tation of French liberty into England. The pe- 
riod too, at which this observation was made, was 
precisely that, when preparations were making for 
the invasion of this country by an army, bringing 
with it in its train all the ruin of French reform 
and French principles ; yet this was the time chosen 
for declamation ag-ainsi perseverance in the war, 
c 



14 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

which we are also told by the same authority, was 
continued from an apprehension that such a form 
of government would arrive in France, as by the 
contrast should render Englishmen dissatisfied with 
that under which they lived. 

" When he saw those gentlemen, who had now 
reassumed their seats (the opposition), absent them- 
selves from the House, he had at first supposed 
they did so, lest they should disturb the unanimity 
of that assembly. When he conceived their mo- 
tives to be such, he felt astonished at seeing them 
return to give a dissenting vote on the present occa- 
sion. 

" In respect to the measure now under consi- 
deration, it was the urgency of the times which 
constituted its leading feature. It was not in our 
power to choose a peace — the enemy would give 
none. It did not remain with us to sheath the 
sword, but with them ; for until we had evinced 
ourselves disposed to shew all the meanness of 
concession to the propositions first brought for- 
ward, the Directory was not prepared to state its 
ulterior terms of degradation, unless our govern- 
ment had been base enough during the negocia- 
tion at Lisle, to have conceded those terms of 
peace which a victorious army would have thought 
itself entitled to have dictated in the centre of the 
metropolis, it is not likely that one could have been 
obtained. 
•* But it had been urged, that the present war 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 15 

was unnecessary, unless as far as it was essential 
to the continuance in office of the present admi- 
nistration. If this was the case, we were to sup- 
pose that it was possible that a negociator was to 
be found on the other side of the House. We had 
learned from the speeches of the Directory, that 
we were to pay the price of our own subjugation ; 
we had also heard, that they (the opposition) would 
introduce reform, or else they should be liable to 
the objection of having deserted their friends. 
Supposing, then, that a change of administraiion 
were to take place, and that the right honourable 
gentleman opposite (Mr. Fox) were to come into 
power, on what terms would he be willing to form 
a part of administration? He had already de- 
clared, he would not come in without a total funda- 
mental and radical reform in Parliament ; and he 
begged the House to attend to those most chosen, 
dangerous, and alarming words. 

** If the right honourable gentleman were our 
negociator, it was probable, indeed, that peace 
might be obtained, since one of the wishes of the 
French, that of seeing him in power, would be 
thus gratified. He begged gentlemen would at- 
tend to the words of the enemy, when professing 
friendship for this country, and they would see no- 
thing in them favourable to a peace, on practicable 
terms, but that all they implied vvas, that they had a 
party in this country. 

^* If ihe House agreed with him in their opinion 



16 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OV 

of the necessity of continuing the war, the only 
question, as relating to the present measure, then 
was, whether it would be considered as prudent to 
raise a large proportion of the supplies for the ser^ 
vice of the year, within the year ? As he had heard 
no argument against this, he must suppose that 
the house had coincided with him in opinion. It 
had been admitted b}- the honourable gentleman 
(Mr. Fox) that this would have been a good mea- 
sure if it had been adopted at the beginning of the 
war ; and he supposed, that this admission pro- 
ceeded from an idea, either that the increase of the 
funding system was injurious to posterity, or that 
the interest of it was too great for the country to 
bear ; in either case it seemed to him evident, that 
an addition of two hundred millions of debt ren- 
dered it necessary to have recourse to some other 
plan J and that the only question to be considered 
was, whether any other manner of raising money 
promised to be attended with better success than 
that now proposed ? 

" It had been said, that the people now began 
to question whether, if the enemy came, they could 
do worse. Did the people ask this, and was any 
one unprepared with an answer ? If he was, I 
will furnish him with one — the enemy would not 
assuredly act better towards us than they have 
done towards their own subjects. Let men of a 
certain rank recollect how they treated those in 
their station ; let the shopkeeper, now srjd to be 



THE RIGHT HON, S. PERCEVAL. 17 

afraid of the direct operation of the present tax, 
think what must have been the eifect of a forced 
loan ; let every man recollect, that rising in re- 
gular proportion until they reached the sum of 
9000 livres, when they took one half, each income 
was reduced to the standard of about 180/. few 
being left a larger sum than that for their avowed 
expences ; yet the present measure of assessments 
has been said to be worse than any that had ever 
been adopted by Robespierre ; na)^, it has been put 
in competition with the total confiscation of pro- 
perty." He concluded with an apology for occu- 
pying so much of the time of the House, " on a 
subject respecting which there ought to be no diffe- 
rence, as no reasonable person could, he thought, 
hesitate in agreeing, that Parliament did right in 
calling for large and liberal supplies, proportioned 
to the ability of every man to contribute." 

This speech was heard with great atten- 
tion, and followed by Mr. Sheridan, who 
replied to several parts of it, and, at the 
same time, observed, " that this was a speech 
of gi^eat ingenuity and considerable vehe 
mence." 

Various matters of importance were 

brought forward this session in the two 

Houses of Parliament, viz. the question of 

the abolition of the slave trade, in which Mr- 

c 2 



18 LIFE AND ADMIIjriSTRATION OF 

Perceval was peculiarly interested ; the poor 
laws ; the Hampshire petition ; the expul- 
sion of a member; Lord Henry Petty 's fi- 
nance bill; Mr. Windham's military bill. 
The Hampshire petition, in particular, pro- 
duced, on the 18th of February, a very long 
debate, brought on by Mr. A. Smith, who 
observed, that the influence of government 
in Hampshire was greater than in any other 
part of the kingdom, and that it had been 
used to oust a gentleman who had served 
the country for fourteen years with diligence 
and fidelity. — The degree of ministerial in- 
fluence in the case of elections, of which this 
petition complained, and which had been 
put in practice under the administration of 
the Talents, as they were called, roused Mr. 
Perceval, who said — 

" He was not surprised these servants of the 
Crown should abandon all the professions they had 
made before they ascended the seat of power. He 
had indeed indulged a faint hope that they would 
have met the question with a manly fortitude ; yet 
instead of courting examination, they eluded re- 
search, and plainly proved that they were afraid of 
enquiry. Whatever might be the result of the de- 
bate, the country, he was convinced, would not be 
satisfied without a full discovery of the whole plot 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. ,19 

against their liberties. As to the Secretary of the 
Treasury, he considered him merely as an agent 
in the business. As to his being a freeholder, if 
this were allowed to be an excuse, ministers 
would easily find freeholders of every county in the 
kingdom to subscribe their official letters. But, 
was such a practice to be defended ? Was this the 
conduct to be vindicated by your pretended re- 
formers ? By reformers who wanted only power 
to put their fine plans into execution; and when 
in power resorted to every method they had pre- 
viously complained of. When they were out of 
power, the House heard repeated complaints of 
the influence of administration, but no instance 
was adduced ; now it is broadly exposed, but no 
redress is to be obtained; but the mask would 
soon be thrown off, and the deformity of their 
conduct would be exposed." 

However, on the question being put, Mr. 
Perceval, not being then in office, was m the 
minority, only 57 being for it and 184 against 
it. 

Lord Howick's Catholic Question was 
brought forward on the 5th of March, 1807. 

" This Mr. Perceval considered as one of the 
most important and dangerous measures that had 
ever been submitted to the judgment of the legis- 
lature. Not the measure merely, but the system 
on which it was founded, excited in him the most 



20 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

formidable objections. Where are we to stop, if 
this is granted? The Protestant interest ought to 
be maintained in Ireland. From the arguments 
used to-day, the Reformation might seem to be 
only a convenient political measure. The incon- 
gruity in the law might be great in theory^ but 
was it so in practice? The presbyterian in Scot- 
land is sacrificed just as much as the catholic of 
Ireland, yet when had either suffered the penalties 
of the act? He denied that a catholic having ob- 
tained a commission in Ireland, was liable to pe- 
nalties in England : the Union sanctioned the act, 
and if after all inconvenience did actually occur, 
the annual indemnity bill completely covered the 
case. We must look also to the inconvenience to 
the service. One soldier would go to a methodist 
chapel, another to a presbyterian meeting, a third 
to a Roman catholic church : and the inconve- 
nience would be greater still in the navy. If this 
evil is suffered to increase, that would ultimately 
be obtained from the weakness of parliament, 
which its wisdom would be desirous to with- 
hold." 

There can scarcely be the least doubt, but 
that, joined to Mr. Perce vaPs abilities, his 
zeal against catholic emancipation was the 
cause of his being put at the head of the 
new administration, which soon followed the 
speech we have just recorded, and was evi- 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 21 

dently brought on by the conduct of Lord 
Howick and his colleagues in office, towiurds 
his Majesty. His Lordship, it is generally 
asserted, obtained a reluctant consent from 
the Sovereign to introduce a bill into the 
House, similar to that passed in Ireland in 
1793, respecting the catholics. In the in- 
terval between this consent, and the second 
reading of the bill, which ceitainly was not 
exactly the same as that in 1793, the royal 
mind was much agitated^ and certain per- 
sons were frequently seen at Court, who 
were not friendly to the then existing ad- 
ministration. To widen a breach already 
made, was not difficult; the royal excep- 
tions to the bill were insurmountable. The 
ministers, who had raised this alarm, would 
willingly have withdra^\Tl the obnoxious 
bill ; but this was not sufficient. They were 
required to pledge themselves that they 
would not hereafter agitate the question; 
but as to this they would not consent, they 
were dismissed, and in a great measure ren- 
dered ridiculous to their opponents and the 
country at large. 

Here we may behold Mr. Perceval at the 
pinnacle of power, and trampling, as it 



S3 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

were, upon the necks of his enemies. No 
small portion of bickering took place in both 
houses ; but in each of them the ex-ministers 
were completely defeated. In these dis- 
putes the public took very little share, a few 
addresses and petitions excepted, being 
brought forward upon the old question of 
No Popery ! 

On one side it was contended the King 
could do no wrong ; and on the other, the 
ex-ministers insinuated that the King had 
done wrong, in demanding a pledge from 
them which their honour and their oaths as 
privy counsellors forbade them to give. 

At this interval too Mr. Perceval's elevation 
was increased in proportion as the late mini- 
sters were depressed, for at this inauspicious 
moment all their former sins and political mis- 
deeds were brought into remembrance. They 
were reminded that one of their first acts on 
coming into place, was to pay Mr. Pitt's 
dd)ts; that they then passed an act allowing 
Lord Grenville to hold the Auditorship of the 
Exchequer together with the place of First 
Lord of the Treasury; they admitted the 
Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench to 
have a seat in the Cabinet; and they made 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAI.. 23 

Mr. Pittas income tax tenfold more oppres- 
sive than lie ever intended it. Their lan- 
guage on the Hampshire election, and their 
conduct in another at Westminster, belied 
all tlieir former sentiments and opinions of 
ministerial influence ; but above all, they 
eulogized Mr. Pitt in a most extravagant 
manner, just as some of Mr. Perceval's oppo- 
nents have paneg}Tized him ; in fine, Mr. 
Perceval could not possibly have had a 
stronger recommendation upon his outset in 
public hfe than the inconsistency of his pre^ 
decessors. 

Mr. Perceval seems at all times to have 
paid a particular attention to matters of 
finance, and to have exercised his abilities 
almost on every subject connected with the 
revenue, particularly in December, 1798, 
when he defended Mr. Pitt's new scheme 
for collecting the assessed taxes. 

In 1800 he evinced his regard for religion 
and good morals, by expressing his full con- 
viction that something ought to be done by 
the legislature to amend and alter the law as 
it stood against adultery. A few days after, 
he spoke at great length on the '* Monastic 



24 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

Institution bill," during which he very judi- 
ciously remarked, 

" That it was the spirit of the catholic persua- 
sion to make as many converts as possible ; indeed 
it was the principle of every religion to a given 
extent, but emphatically so of this, and therefore 
while we were talking of kindness to the catholics, 
and while we expected gratitude from them for 
such kindness, we ought not to be surprised if that 
gratitude consisted in their endeavouring to con- 
vert the whole nation; nor should we be angry 
with them for such an attempt, as they believed 
they could not obtain for us a greater blessing 
than to make catholics of us allj but it was our 
business to be on our guard against such a spirit, 
since it was utterly inconsistent with that of our 
constitution. 

" Notwithstanding he would not say a wor4 
against toleration, as there was not a man in Eng- 
land who had more esteem for it than himself. 
This, however, did not compel him to lay aside all 
precaution against the possible effects of the over- 
growth of popery in this country. He should not 
wish to see a hair of a man's head hurt on account 
of his religious opinions; but that did not compel 
him to think catholics were the best subjects in this 
country." 

In 1803 Mr. Perceval interested himself^ 
very highly to his credit, on the discussion of 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PKnCEVAL. 25 

the clergy non-residence bill; he liked not 
the lax manner in the wording of some of 
the clauses, and reprobated the principle of 
depriving the parishioners in every part of 
England of the advantages of a resident 
clergyman. He also declared that he con- 
sidered " pluralities as a great grievance," 
and thought the discretion of granting ex- 
ceptions should be vested in the bishops. 

Mr. Perceval became Solicitor General in 
1799, an early period for an office of such 
importance, and in 1802 he was appointed 
Attorney General, which office he held dur- 
ing a period of three years and ten months. 

When Attorney General, it need scarcely 
be said, that lie was a strenuous advocate for 
the union of Ireland. During Mr, Adding- 
ton's administration, he warmly defended the 
bill for correcting abuses in the Navy, when 
some warm altercation took place between 
him and Lord Temple, on account of the 
latter's entering into a new career of oppo- 
sition. 

At length, after the demise of Mr. Pitt in 
1806, Mr. Perceval had the mortification to 
see Mr. Fox and Lord Grenville come into 
power; but as their measures were very far 

D 



26 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

from meeting with his cordial approbation, 
the circumstance of their continuing in office 
only a year, a week, and a day, was of course 
rather matter of exultation to him than re- 
gret. 

In iVpril, 1807, it was thought highly ex- 
pedient by the sovereign to dismiss this re- 
doubtable administration, and Lord Sid- 
mouth, as President of the Council, now gave 
place to Earl Camden ; Lord Erskine, as 
Chancellor, to Lord Eldon; Lord Holland, 
as Privy Seal, to the Earl of Westmorland ; 
Lord Grenville, as First Lord of the Trea- 
sury, to the Duke of Portland ; Earl Moira, 
as Master General of the Ordnance, to the 
Earl of Chatham ; Viscount Howick, as Se- 
cretary for Foreign Affairs, to the Right 
Hon. George Canning; and Lord Henry 
Petty, as Chancellor and Under Treasurer 
of the Exchequer, to the Hon. Spencer Per- 
ceval, with other inferior removals. So high 
were our hopes now raised respecting fo- 
reign affairs, that in consequence of this 
change of administration, the late King of 
Sweden, and some of our allies, were given 
to understand, that more vigorous measures 



THE RIGHT HON. S. ^ERCEVAL. 27 

would be adopted than those acted upon by 
their predecessors. 

In fact, every eye was fixed upon the 
coasts of the Baltic. There it was generally 
supposed on this side of the water, the desti- 
nies of Europe were to be decided. " The 
genius and resources of the north, it was said, 
were brought into conflict with those of the 
south.'' I'he mighty contest lay between 
Alexander, Emperor of Russia, and the 
Kings of Prussia and Sweden, on the one 
part, and the Emperor of France and the 
King of Italy on the other. Scarcely ever 
had there been so eventful a crisis. It was 
thought that the young Gustavus, with the 
aid both of a subsidy and troops from Eng- 
land, might march an army through the 
Lower Saxony from Dantzic and Colberg as 
far as Hamburg, which, aided by insur- 
gents in Hesse, Hanover, and the Prussian 
dominions, might pass the Elbe, and esta- 
blish a war in the centre of Germany for the 
annoyance of the French. 

In the meanwhile all the principal places 
in Prussia Proper being secured, the French 
Emperor was pursuing the conflict with tlic 
Russians in Eastern and Polish Prussia. 



'SS JLi^» AJff0 ADMINISTRATION <3F 

Though placed at so great a distance from 
France, such was his vigilance in providing 
for his troops, that, as at the present period, 
on the great roads between the Rhine an^ 
the Vistula, hundreds and thousands cf car- 
riages were every where to be seen going or 
returning from Thorn and Warsaw; while, 
from all the countries between France and 
Poland, being under the power of France, 
provisions and often recruits were drawn. 

Notwithstanding the severity of the sea- 
son, ^lich it was probably thought the 
French could ill sustain, the campaign, which 
the Russians were determined should keep 
open all the winter, was gallantly supported 
by their enemies. The aifeirs of Hoff and 
Deppen occurred in February, 18G7; but die 
battle of Eylau, which was the most bloody 
of any, took place likewise on tlie 7th and 
8th of that month. After this sanguinary 
contest, though the main body of the Rus- 
sians were forced to fall back eiglity leagues 
from the Vistula, the French Emperor either 
did not think it prudent, or was not in a 
condition to hazard another battle, nor at that 
juncture to proceed to Koningsberg, though 
the French soldiers were within sight of 



THE RitiUT HON. 8. PEUCEVAL. 21) 

the steeples of that place. But if possession 
of the field of battle be any proof of victory, 
at Eylati this certainly belonged to the 
French, who, after the Russians had retreated, 
leaving the wounded in their hands, re- 
mained seven or eight days on the ground 
They occupied during the action. While 
this ardent struggle on the part of the Rus- 
sians and Prussians continued, in w^hich all 
the strong places were falling successively 
into the hands of the French, a subsidy of 
500,0001. had been granted by our court ; 
but though repeated and earnest application 
was made, no troops were sent from Eng- 
land till it was too late ; and these, consisting 
only of 8000 of the German legion, which 
were landed at Rugen, were too few in num- 
ber to effect any real service. 

The French next turned their attention 
to Swedish Pomerania, where the King Of 
Sweden had arrived to animate his army by 
his presence ; but his efforts not being crown- 
ed with success, the whole of the pro\'ince, 
with Stralsund, and the Isle of Rugen, after 
much fruitless opposition, fell into the hands 
of the enemy. 

The first session of ixirlinment in 1807, 

D 2 



30 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION Oi 

was much occupied with the subject of the 
last year's negociation with France, during 
which Mr. Whitbread expressed his full con. 
viction that the chief of the French govern- 
ment was desirous, and the ministers of 
France sincere in their wishes for peace ; 
that an opportunity liad been lost of making 
peace upon terms both honourable and advan- 
tageous ; that the negociation had been 
broken off by the government of this coun- 
try prematurely and unnecessarily ; and that 
with greater prudence and candour, and a 
little more patience, skill, and address on 
our parts, we should have found France ready 
to grant such terms as his Majesty's minis- 
ters ought to have accepted. 

Mr. Perceval, from a review of all the 
circumstances connected with the negocia- 
tion, concluded, tliat the enemy were never 
seriously desirous of peace, and that minis- 
ters were dupes to the artifices of the 
French government. He lamented that a 
man of Mr. Fox's great talents and incor- 
ruptible mind, had been betrayed into a pri- 
vate and confidential correspondence with 
Talleyrand. He declared his firm convic- 
tion that no peace could take place with 



THE RIGHT HON* 9. PEKCEVAL. 3i 

France, at least such a peace as would be 
worthy of the acceptance of this country, so 
long as the force and counsels of that country 
were directed by two such men as Talleyrand 
and Buonaparte. 

But notwithstanding the grounds which 
the new ministers could thus boast of for 
exultation, Mr. Perceval exhibited no symp- 
toms of the least consciousness of this nature ; 
though Mr. Canning, one of his new col- 
leagues, after recapitulating the arguments 
used on the state of Ireland, ended ^vith a 
threat '* that whatever might be the result 
of that before them, or a series of motions, 
the new ministers would keep their places." 
" The changes in the councils of the King,'' 
he said, " did not arise from themselves, but 
from their predecessors; and if necessary, 
an appeal would be made to the people." 
This threat called up Lord Henry Petty, 
who spoke vehemently against such lan- 
guage ; however, after a debate which lasted 
till half past six in the morning, his Majesty's 
dismissal of his ministers was approved of by 
a majority of thirty- two, in favour of their 
successors. 

But relative to a dissolution of parliament, 



32 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

Mr. Canning's menace was well understood : 
each party prepared, and a universal canvas 
inlmediately took place. Excepting the 
Westminster election, in which Messrs. 
Sheridan, Cockrane, Elliot, Paul, and Bur- 
dett, respectively figured, the rest passed off 
in the country without much contest. Liver- 
pool, however, rejected the elegant historian 
of the House of Medicis, because he voted 
with Mr. Perceval against the slave trade, 
and took the advantage of this, and the cry 
of " No Popery," to excite the mob against 
him. At Cambridge University there was 
also a most violent struggle, which ended in 
the ejectment of Lord Henry Petty, the Ex- 
Chancellor of the Exchequer. A similar 
defeat attended Lord Howick, who stood 
for the county of Northumberland, after 
having figured at the hustings in a very long 
speech ; but here it seems his lordship was 
no longer acknowledged as that Mr. Grey, 
who early in life had such strong pretensions 
to populai' favour : Lord William Russel 
also lost Suny% 

On the 27th of April, 1807, the parhament 
had been prorogued by the following speech, 
in which, if as usual the minister's sentiments 



THE RIGfHT HOfN. S. PERCEVAL. 3S 

are to be considered as the most prominent, 
Mr. Perceval could have had no reason to 
blush ; but on the contrary, from what was 
then said relative to the Catholics, it was im- 
possible, upon the ground of consistency, to 
expect he could deviate from the plan with 
which he set out in public life. 

" MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, 

" We have it in command from his Majesty to 
inform you, that his IMajesty has thought fit to 
avail himself of the first moment, which would ad- 
mit of an inienruptjon of the sitting of parliament, 
without material inconvenience to the public busi- 
ness, to close the present session : and, that his 
Majesty has therefore been pleased to cause a 
commission to be issued under the great seal for 
proroguing the parliament. 

" We are farther commanded to state to you, that 
his Majesty is anxious to recur to the sense of his 
people, while the events which have recently taken 
place, are yet fresh in their recollection. 

" His Majesty feels that, in resorting to this mea- 
sure, under the present circumstances, he at once 
demonstrates, in the most unequivocal manner, 
his own conscientious persuasion of the rectitude 
of those motives upon which he has acted ; and 
affords to his people the best opportunity of testi- 
fying their determination to support him, in every 
exercise of the prerogatives of his crown which is 



34 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

conformable to the sacred obligations under which 
they are held, and conducive to the welfare of his 
kingdom, and to the security of the constitution. 

His Majesty directs us to express his entire con- 
viction, that after so long a reign, marked by a 
series of indulgences to his Roman Catholic sub- 
jects, they, in common with every other class of hrs 
people, must feel assured of his attachment to the 
principles ©f a just and enlightened toleration, and 
of his anxious desire to protect equally, and pro- 
mote impartially, the happiness of all descriptions 
of his subjects." . 

'' GENTLEMEN OF tmb hovce or COMMONS, 

*' His Majesty has commanded us to thank you 
in his name, for the supplies which you have fur- 
nished for the public service. He has seen with 
great satisfaction, that you have been able to find 
the means of defraying in the present year, those 
large but necessary expenses, for which you have 
provided, without imposing upon his people the im- 
mediate burden of additional taxes. 

" His Majesty has observed with no less satisfac- 
tion, the inquiries which you have instituted into 
subjects connected with public economy ; and he 
trusts, that the early attention of a new parlia- 
ment, which he will forthwith direct to be called, 
will be applied to the prosecution of these impor- 
tant objects." 

" MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, 

" His Majesty has directed us most earnestly to 
recommend to you, that you should cultivate, by 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 35 

all means in your power, a spirit of union, har- 
mony, and good will amongst all classes and de- 
scriptions of his people. 

" His Majesty trusts, that the divisions, natural- 
ly and unavoidably excited by the late unfortunate 
and uncalled for agitation of a question, 60 inte- 
resting to the feelings and opinions of his people, 
will speedily pass away ; and that the prevailing 
sense and determination of all hjs subjects to exert 
their united efforts in the cause of their country, 
will enable his Majesty to conduct, to an honoura- 
ble and secure termination, the great contest in 
which he is engaged." 

Immediately after the election, it was 
stated in the newspapers that Mr. Perceral 
had written letters to all the members of his 
party, desiring their earliest attendance, as 
matters of the greatest importance would be 
brought forward ; on which it was asked, 
" Pray who is this Mr. Perceval that writes 
such letters? Is Mr. Perceval King of the 
country ? Has not the King called his par- 
liament together, and have not the Speaker 
and the House the exclusive right of inter- 
fering with the appearance or nion-appear- 
ance of their members ?" However, as we 
now behold Mr. Perceval invested with full 
powers, firmly seated on the Treasury 



36 ILIFB ANn ADMINISTRATION OE 

Bench, he is henceforth to be considered as 
influenchig, ccKitrouling, or assenting to all 
measures of pul^lic import ; accordingly, the 
new Parliament, which he was so anxious 
to assemble, was opened by a commission, 
on the 26th of June, with the following 
^eech. 

" My Lords and Gentlemen^ 

" We have it in command from his Majesty to 
state to you^ that having deemed it expedient to 
recur to the sense of his people, his Majesty, in 
conformity to his declared intention, has lost no 
time in causing the present Parliament to be assem- 
bled, 

*' His Majesty has great satisfaction in acquaint- 
ing you, that since the events which led to the dis- 
solution of the last Parliament, his Majesty has 
received, in numerous Addresses from his sufc^- 
jects, the warmest assurances of their affectionate 
attachment to his person and Government, and of 
their firm resolution to support him in maintain- 
ing the just rights of his Crown, and the true, 
principles of the Constitution ; and he commands 
us. to express his entir<> confidence, that he shall 
experience in all your deliberations, a determina- 
tion to afford him an equally loyal, zealous, and 
affectionate support, under all the arduous circum- 
stances of the present time. 

"We are commanded by his Majesty to inform; 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 37 

)Gu, that his Majesty's endeavours have been 
most anxiously employed for the purpose of draw- 
ing closer the ties by which his Majesty is con- 
nected with the powers of the Continent ; of as- 
sisting the efforts of those Powers against the am- 
bition and oppression of France ; of forming such 
engagements as may ensure their continued co- 
oi>eration ; and of establishing that mutual con- 
fidence and concert so essential under any course 
of events to the restoration of a solid and perma- 
nent peace in Europe. 

" It would have afforded his Majesty the great- 
est pleasure to have been enabled to inform you, 
that the mediation undertaken by his Majesty for 
the purpose of preserving peace between his Ma- 
jesty's Ally, the Emperor of Russia, and the Sub- 
lime Porte, had proved effectual for that important 
object : his Majesty deeply regrets the failure of 
that mediation, accompanied as it was by the dis- 
appointment of the efforts of his Majesty's squa- 
dron in the sea of Marmora ; and followed, as it 
has since been, by the losses which have been sus- 
tained by his gallant troops in Egypt. 

" His Majesty could not but lament the exten- 
sion of hostilities in any quarter, which should 
create a diversion in the war so favourable to the 
views of France ; but lamenting it, especially in 
the instance of a Power with which his Majesty 
has been so closely connected, and v/hich has been 
lio recently indebted for its protection against the 



3'8 UFfi AND ADMIN'IStRATION OF 

encroacliments of France^ to the signal arid suc- 
cessful interposition of his Majesty's arms. 

His Majesty has directed us to acquaint you, 
that he has thought it right to adopt such mea- 
sures as might best enable him, in concert with 
the Emperor of Russia, to take advantage of any 
favourable opportunity fot bringing the hostilities 
in which they are engaged against the Sublime 
Porte, to a conclusion, consistent with his Ma- 
^jesty's honour and the interest of his ally." 

'* Gentlemen of the House of Commons^ 
" His Majesty has ordered the estimates of the 
current year to be laid before you, and he relies 
on the zeal of his faithful Commons to make such 
provision for the public service, as well as for the 
further application of the sums which were grant- 
ed in the last Parliament, as may appear to be 
necessary. 

*' And his Majesty, bearing constantly in mind 
the necessity of a careful and economical Adminis- 
tration of the peeuniary resources of the country, 
has directed us to express his hopes that you will 
proceed without delay in the pursuit of those en- 
quiries, connected with the public economy, which 
engaged the attention of the last Parliament." 

" My Lords and Gentlemeiiy 
" His Majesty commands us to state to you, 
that he is deeply impressed with the peculiar im- 
portance, at the present moment, of cherishing a 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 39 

spirit of union and harmony amongst his people : 
such a spirit will most effectually promote the 
prosperity of the country at home, give vigour 
and efficacy to its councils, and its arms abroad; 
and can alone enable his Majesty, under the bless- 
ing of Providence, to carry on successfully the 
great contest in which he is engaged, or finally to 
conduct it to that termination which his Majesty's 
moderation and justice have ever led him to seek, 
a peace — in which the honour and interests of his 
kingdom can be secure, and in which Europe and 
tlie world may hope for independence and re- 
pose." 

In the House of Commons, the Address 
was moved by Lord Newark, and seconded 
by Mr. Hall, both being echoes of the 
speech, the latter ending with a commenda- 
tion of that great and lamented statesman, 
Mr. Pitt, who had weathered the storm; 
and he called upon those Ministers who had 
lately quitted the helm, to abandon all spi- 
rit of mutiny, and to join in navigating the 
\'essel, and guiding her to a port of security. 
During this debate, the late Ministers being 
charged with the disasters in Egypt, in con- 
sequence of our attempts to seize Alexandria 
and Rosetta, Lord Howick said, "No man 
could lament those disasters more than he 



40 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

did ; but what did Ministers mean by insert- 
ing the paragraph relative to it in the 
speech? If ill success," he said, " in an ex- 
pedition, was an argument against a Minis- 
try, what shall we say to the memorable 
achievements at Ferrol, Corsica, and the 
Helder?" 

The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, 
Mr. Perceval, ^' indicated the dissolution of 
Parliament, and replied to the observations 
on the inconveniences to the public, which, 
he said, when compared with the arguments 
in favour of the dissolution, sunk to nothing. 
The conduct of the late Ministers he assi- 
milated with that of Mr. Pitt on a like ques- 
tion, and declared it to be his firm opinion, 
that no farther concessions to the Catholics 
were desirable. How^ever, though several 
members spoke for an Amendment to the 
Address, in order to express their abhorrence 
of the first act of a set of men, who, they con- 
ceived, by reinstating Lord Melville, had re- 
called to his Majesty's Councils })rofligacy 
and corruption, there appeai'ed to be for the 
Address 300, and for the Amendment only 
155. In the House of Lords the Address was 
carried without a division. 



THE lilGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 41 

Passing over our disasters in Egypt, in 
the Archipelago, and at Buenos Ayres, over 
which Mr. Perceval and his friends could 
have no controul, we may observe, that 
among the more fortunate results of the em- 
ployment of the British ai'ms, the taking of 
Curacoa, on the 1st of January, 1807, with 
very little resistance, might be enumerated c 
This \vas a considerable help to our com- 
merce, which no^v began to feel the eifects 
of the Berlin Decree, notwithstanding the 
counteraction arising from our Orders in 
Council. 

In the British possessions in the East In- 
dies, it ^\^as still acknowledged, that a latent 
spirit of discontent and alarm had existed 
ever since the horrid massacre at Vellore: 
the cause of which interfering with the reli- 
gious opinions of the natives was frivolous 
and fatal — as it probably produced the re- 
pulse of the British arms, after two most 
desperate attempts on the almost impregnable 
fortress of Burtpore, together with the obsti- 
nate resistance of Dundie Khan, at his fort and 
fortified garden at Comana. 

In returning to take a view of the state 
of affairs in Europe, it will appear, that th^ 
K 2 



42 LIFE AND ADMlNISTRATiON OF 

impolitic expedition to Copenhagen eventu- 
ally added Denmark to the list of our most 
determined enemies, among whom, after the 
peace of Tilsit, we numbered Austria, Russia, 
Prussia, and the Ottoman Porte. 

Early in the year 1807, it seems that the 
British Cabinet had adopted the resolution 
of compelling Denmark to declare against 
France; and for this purpose a naval and 
military armament, consisting of about 
25,000 men, and a fleet of nearly thirty sail 
of the line, with other vessels, to the number 
of ninety pendants, were some months in pre- 
paration. 

It was not till the 14th of August, 1807, 
that the British fleet unexpectedly appeared 
between Elsineur and Helsingborg on the 
other side. A division of the fleet, under 
Commodore Keats, had been previously de- 
tached to the Great Belt, with instructions 
to allow no military force whatever to enter 
Zealand; and, from the manner in which 
his vessels were stationed, the communica- 
tion between Zealand, the adjacent Isle of 
Funen, »nd the main land of Holstein, Sles- 
wig, and Jutland, was cut off*. The British 
army followed the main body of the fleet to 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAL. 43 

the Sound, Lord Cathcart being commander 
in chief of the land forces, and Admiral Gam- 
bier commanded the fleet. 

But as negociation was to be tried pre- 
vious to hostilities, Mr. Jackson, who had 
resided several years at Berlin, as envoy 
from this country, was selected, and repair- 
ing to Copenhagen, he was instructed to use 
every argument in his power to bring the 
Prince Regent to terms of friendly accom- 
modation ; or, in plain terms, to induce him 
to consent to the delivery of the Danish fleet 
into the possession of the British Admiral, 
under the most solemn stipulation that it 
should be restored at the conclusion of the 
war between this country and France. Pro- 
posals thus degrading being rejected, the 
anny landed without opposition on the morn- 
ing of the 16th of August, and on the even- 
ing of the 2d of September the British land 
batteries and the bomb and mortar vessels 
opened such a tremendous fire upon the city 
of Copenhagen, that a general conflagration 
was thought to have taken place. 

On the night of the 3d, our fire was 
slackened ; but on the 4th it was resumed 
with so much vigour and efiect, that tlie next 



44 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

morning a trumpeter appeared at the British 
out- posts, with a letter, proposing a truce. 
On the 8th of September a capitulation was 
signed, and the British army took possession 
of the citadel, dock-yards, and batteries. 
The Danish vessels captured being rigged 
with the utmost dispatch, the whole fleet was 
safe in the British ports before the end of 
October. After the capitulation had been 
signed by both parties, Mr. Jackson made a 
fresh attempt to negociate with the prince 
of Denmark, as did also a Mr. Merry, but 
with neither would the Danish government 
hold the least communication. These at- 
tempts, however, sufficiently prove that the 
authors and advisers of this extraordinary 
expedition indulged in the imparalleled weak- 
ness of believing, that the conciliation of the 
Danes w^as still possible, notwithstanding 
what had happened. 

Among the various apologies made for 
what was called the immorality of the Da- 
nish expedition on the part of England, it 
was alleged, that the court of Denmark 
had a secret imderstanding with France. 
But that this was far from being founded is 
proved from the circumstance, that while 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 45 

scarcely a single cannon was mounted on the 
ramparts of Copenhagen, nearly the whole of 
the Danish forces, about thirty thousand 
men, A^ere collected in Holstein, at least to 
make a show of defending their continental 
possessions, or protecting their commerce, 
and which conduct had some time before 
occasioned the French Emperor, when the 
deputies that waited upon him from Ham- 
burgh made some allusion to the Danish 
sovereign, to say, *' Let that little prince 
take care of himself." Still, whether the 
Danes would not have been ultimately in- 
duced to declare themselves on the part of 
France, can scarcely admit of a doubt. 

But though the allies of France upon the 
continent were exposed to the predatory 
incursions of England, the French gave the 
ton ; and in the kingdom of Westphalia in 
paiticular, the government and civil employ- 
ments were administered exclusively by 
Frenchmen, and even the Napoleon code 
established in its courts. To such an excess 
was this complaisance carried, that in one of 
ilie numbers of the Westphalian Moniteur 
the French are called " La noblesse du 
genre humain," the nobility of the human 



40 LIFE AHl) ADMINISTRATION OF 

race. For the pyrpose also of restraining 
apd excluding English commerce, French 
troops now first began to line the whole coast 
of Holland, the borders of the Elbe, &c. 
JEven the Dutch fishing-boats were ordered 
not to put to sea without having in each a 
soldier to watch their proceedings; but as 
Louis Bonaparte had not nerve suf&cient to 
carry these severe measures into execution, 
he was eventually compelled to abdicate his 
crown and kingdom. 

In Bavaria, as well as Westphalia, the 
population able to bear arms were organized 
ijito national guards, and drilled and train€<3: 
with the greatest diligence and activity. 

The treaty of Tilsit was scarcely con- 
cluded, before the French Emperor is said 
to have resolved upon availing himself of 
circumstances for the subjugation of Spain 
and Portugal. On the 31st of October, 
1807, all the members of the different coun- 
cib of state being assembled, a declaration 
by the king of Spain was read, of a disco- 
very that his son, the prince of Asturias, had 
formed a conspiracy for dethroning him. 
.He had been surprized, it is said, in his own 
apartments with the cyphers of his corres- 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 47 

ponclcnce ; but while some persons believed 
this accusation, otliers looked upon the pre- 
tended conspiracy as the fabrication of the 
Prince of Peace, Don Emanuel Godoy, for 
the purpose of removing the only obstacle 
that then stood in the way of his audacious 
ambition. However, on the 5th of Novem- 
ber, the prince having written to his royal 
father and mother, a royal edict was ad- 
dressed to the governor of the council of 
Castile, declaring, that the voice of nature 
having disarmed the hand of vengeance, the 
king had been moved by pity, and the inter- 
cession of the queen, to pardon his penitent 
son, who had given information against the 
authors of the horrible design in contempla- 
tion. 

After the peace of Tilsit, as the French 
Emperor demanded that the court of Lisbon 
should shut the ports of Portugal against the 
English, with other severe restrictions; to 
enforce a compliance it was necessary to 
obtain leave of Spain to send a large French 
army through that kingdom, to act in con- 
cert with the Spanish armies. This inducing 
the prince of the Brazils to ship himself with 
liis court for South America, on the morning 



48 l^IFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

of the 29th of November, the Portuguese 
fleet had not left the Tagus when the French, 
with their Spanish auxiharies, under General 
Junot, appeared upon the hills. In the 
meanwhile, such reluctance had been shewn 
on the part of the court of Lisbon either to 
depart, or to believe that the enemy were so 
near, that had they not been prompted by 
the British Ambassador and assisted by a 
British squadron, it is probable all their 
preparations would have been too late. 
By way of precaution, as soon as the 
French had entered Lisbon, the inha- 
bitants were disarmed, and prohibited from 
assembling together to the number of 
more than ten at a time; cannon were 
also planted in all the streets and squares. 
On the part of the British it was now thought 
necessary to secure the valuable island of 
Madeira, on the condition of its being re- 
stored to Portugal on the conclusion of a 
general peace. 

But the conduct of the ministry not only 
embroiled us this year with the Danes, but 
with the Americans also, in the affair of the 
Chesapeak ; a vessel belonging to the United 
States, from which the British Admiral 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 49 

Berkeley conceived himself authorized to 
take four seamen, under the pretext of their 
being British. This vessel was also stated 
to have been *' disabled from service, with 
the loss of a number of men killed and 
wounded." This circumstance at that time 
excited the observation on this side of the 
water, that " the dominion of the seas, if 
exercised without any regard to natural 
right or to natural justice, is an act of hosti- 
lity, not so much against 7nan as against the 
Author of the Universe; whom we cannot 
reasonably suppose ever intended it for a 
mere theatre of blood-stained victories^ rather 
than a grand link to unite in friendship and 
peaceful commerce the interest and pros- 
perity of distant nations." 

But although the feelings of the Americans 
on this occasion were warmly expressed, 
their government exercised the utmost degree 
of prudence and deliberation. They con- 
fined themselves merely to the demand of an 
express disavowal of the act by the govern- 
ment of Great Britain, and an unqualified 
surrender of the officer or officers by whose 
orders it was perpetrated, to the justice of the 
States. It will, notwithstanding, appear 



BO LIFE AND ADMINISTEATION OF 

extraordinary that several years elapsed, 
during which a succession of accredited 
negociators were employed on the part of 
Great Britain, without coming to any con- 
clusion upon this or any other subject in 
dispute between us and the American 
States ! 

This year, 1807, saw a new constitution 
given to Poland, instead of any more dis- 
memberments; and this so contrived as to 
strengthen the French interest upon the 
continent. 

The king of Sweden also, who had been 
held up as one of our invincible champions, 
was this year compelled to surrender Stral- 
sund and the whole of Pomerania to the 
French under Marshal Brune. A declara- 
tion of war on the part of England soon fol- 
lowed, and the Russians in return imposed 
an embargo upon all British ships in their 
harbours. This new rupture gave much 
cause for recrimination on the part of 
France. 

" Russia," the Moniteur observed, '' had vainly 
expected to see an army of 40,000 English, not in 
the month of July but in April, landed at Stral- 
sund or Dantzic, to co-operate with her. Has 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 51 

England furnished diese troops? Was she abk to 
do it ? If she answers in t!ie negative, she had 
litde reason to make so great demands upon her 
allies; but her ministers were wanting in inclina- 
tion, they calculated the results of war at so much 
per cent, they think only of profit, and the fields 
of Poland presented nothing but danger and 
glory." 

This accusation is similar to one made 
before, namely, "that the English weigh or 
calculate upon every ounce of blood slied 
upon the Continent." 

When speaking of the apprehensions of 
the Sepoys, it should have been added, that 
these api^eared to have been but too well 
founded ; for an order being issued to oblige 
the native troops at Vellore to wear a drum- 
mer's cap, and that the mark of the cast on 
their forehead should be taken off, their 
upper lip shaved, 8cc. some Sepoys being- 
punished for resistance was the cause of the 
European ban-acks being surrounded, &c. 
&c. It was to little pui'pose that vengeance 
was soon executed upon tlie poor deluded 
offenders ; but it ^vas highly creditable to 
the humanity and prudence of the govern- 
ment that a proclamation ^vas issued soon 



52 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

after, from Fort St. George, assuring tlie 
native troops in the most solemn manner, that 
the respect which liad hitherto been shewn 
to their rehgion and customs should be in 
future continued, and no interruption given 
to any native, whether Hindoo or MussuK 
man, in the practice of his religious ceremo- 
nies. ^: 

This concession, at a time when the 
French Emperor was known to be cultivating 
a good understanding with the court of 
Persia, was politic, as well as humane. An 
ambassador from that distant quarter, with 
a suit of nearly fourscore persons, had this 
year been received with great satisfaction at 
Paris; and it was stated that a military 
survey had been made by the French Em- 
peror's directions, extending from Constan- 
tinople to the shores of the Indus. 

This year the abolition of the slave trade was 
followed by the establishment of the African 
Institution, for the purpose of introducing 
the arts of social life in a quarter of the globe 
so long the seat of oppression, ignorance, and 
bai'barism. 

The celebrated Orders in Council, which 
have operated so forcibly in the destruction 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 53 

of the remains of our trade, in consequence 
of the re-action which they have produced in 
France and America, were the results of the 
eventful year 1807; for on tlie 11th of No- 
vember three Orders in Council were issued 
in the name of his Britannic Majesty, by the 
first of which the ports of every country is 
declared in a state of blockade from which 
Great Britain is excluded. All trade in the 
produce or tho manufactures of these coun- 
tries is deemed illegal, and the vessels em- 
ployed in such trade are liable to seizure, 
unless such neutral vessel shall be going 
direct to, or from, a British or neutral port 
to some free port in the enemy's colonies, 
or the British colonies, laden with such 
articles as it may be lawful to import into 
such free port. 

The second Order provides, 

*' That no exportation from the ports of the 
united kingdom, of the produce or growth of 
France, Spain, &c. that may have been legally 
imported, shall be permitted to be exported, but 
upon condition that the parties so exporting shall 
enter into proper security that they will export, 
within a limited period, one-third of the tonnage 
of such goods in British manufactures, or colonial 
""'"oducc, the said produce of Friuicc to be subiect 



54 LIFE AND ADMINISTBATJON Ot' 

to such duties upon exportation as may hereafter be 

directed." 

The third Order directs, 

" That no purchase of British prize ships by- 
neutral subjects from the enemy, shall, after the 
present notification, and during the present war, 
be considered as valid in a British Court of Admi- 
ralty, but that any vessel so purchased shall be 
liable to confiscation. The documents granted by 
French agents in neutral ports, known by the name 
of ' certificates of origin,' are no longer to be allow- 
ed; and all neutral vessels in possession of them are 
to be seized wherever met with." 

The futility of these orders, as to their pur- 
pose of causing the enemy to relax in his re- 
strictions, or sue for a peace, was foreseen by 
several judicious and dispassionate observers, 
from the moment they were promulgated. 

Among the first grievances arising from 
these mutual restraints upon commerce, it 
appeared from a report of one of the com- 
mittees of the West India Planters, that sugar 
had at length sustained such a degradation, 
that instead of paying the planter 18 per 
cent, he was not reimbursed for his capital, 
and tlie necessary expences incurred upon it, 
while the duty demanded by government in- 
creased, as the price became lessened to th-e 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 55 

consumer. On the piirt of the Americans, 
one of the first steps produced by our Orders 
in Coimcil, M'as the prohibition of the depar- 
ture of their vessels, which terminated in what 
was called the non- intercourse bill. 

The Berlin decree was only a counterpart 
of the system previotisly established by Eng- 
land. It commenced by stating, 

" That England had ceased to observe the law of 
nations, that she considers every individual as an 
enemy who belongs to a hostile state, and makes 
prisoners not only of the crews of ships of war, but 
also of the crews of merchant vessels. That she 
seizes and condemns the property of individuals 
not at war with her, and extends her blockade to 
places not fortified, and to whole coasts and whole 
kingdoms." Under these circumstances it further 
states, " That it is a right conferred by nature to 
oppose to an enemy the weapons he employs against 
you, and to fight him in the same manner in which 
he attacks." 

Our Orders in Council manifestly produced 
the Milan decree on the part of Napoleon, and 
dated from that city Dec. 17th, 1807, by which 
to excite universal resentment against the Bri~ 
tish Government, it was decreed, 

" That every ship, to whatever nation it may 
helong, that sjaall have submitted to be searched 



56 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

by an English ship, or to a voyage to England, 
or that shall have paid any tax whatever to the 
English government, is thereby, and for that alone, 
declared to be denationalized^ to have forfeited the 
protection of its King, and to have become English 
property." 

It was further expressed that every ship 
that sails from the ports of England, or those 
of the English colonies, and of the countries 
occupied by English troops, is good and law- 
ful prize, and that these measures, only resort- 
ed to in just retaliation of the barbarous system 
adopted by England in its legislation similar 
to Algiers, shall cease to have any effect with 
respect to all nations who shall have the firm- 
ness to compel the English government to 
respect their flag, &c. 

In the course of this year we heard of a 
singular proceeding on the part of the 
French Emperor, relative to the Duchy of 
Mecklenburgh. The Duke of Mecklen- 
burgh it was urged by the French Minister, 
Bourienne, was invested with a command in 
the Russian Army, and in other respects 
having an immediate interest with Russia; 
therefore as the Cabinet of St. Petersburgh 
had, contrary to all right, and even without 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 57 

the least pretext, violated the independence of 
the Ottoman Porte, in making itself master of 
the provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia, by 
way of retaliation the French Minister at Ham- 
burgh was charged to declare, 

** I. That it is the will of the Emperor and King, 
on account of the assistance which this country has 
afforded to his enemies, that it shall be considered 
as having made a common cause with them. 

" II. That the future and ultimate fate of Meck- 
lenburgh will depend upon the conduct which 
Russia shall observe towards Moldavia and Wal- 
lachia.'' 

To return from our foreign to our domes- 
tic connections: — much business had been 
^one in parliament with little opposition. 
Among the most important transactions were 
the remuneration voted to Dr. Jenner, for 
his useful plan of vaccination. Mr. Whit- 
bread's parochial poor bill was stopped in the 
Lords, as was also the reversionary place bill. 
The Irish insurrection bill, and Mr. Sheri- 
dan's famous speech on the state of Ireland, 
were also among the affairs of the greatest in- 
terest. \ 

Lord Grenville introduced the subject of 
the late negociation into the upper house, and 
conceived it would be of the same opinion 



58 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

with him, that the peace was prevented ea^ 
tirely by the disposition of the enemy, and 
that every assistance ought to be given to the 
King, to prosecute the war with vigour 
and effect. He still thought the country, be- 
sides the obligations it was under to its natu- 
ral allies, was bound to see that the interests 
of the elector of Hanover w ere not neglected : 
the great point of the French, it was evident, 
was to separate us from our allies. Large 
offers were made to detach Russia from Eng- 
land; yet we were to hold Malta, next the 
Cape of Good Hope, then India, afterwards 
Hanover. For these we were to give up all 
our conquests made upon the enemy and his 
allies; to cede Sicily, and confirm the 
French in the possession of Dalmatia. Lord 
Sidmoutli, with the fallacious view of the 
future offering us better terms, dwelt upon 
a probable reverse of the fortune of Buona- 
parte. In the Commons, it should be ob- 
served. Lord Yarmouth rose to refute a 
charge gone forth among the public against 
him, under the sanction of a great name. 
The negociation, he said, he believed owed 
its origin to Mr. Fox. At the commence- 
ment of it were some points which could 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 59 

not be committed to paper. This reason it 
seems induced Talleyrand to look out for a 
safe person, and he fixed upon him with a 
stipulation, that there should be no writing 
upon the subject, that the bond between 
France and Russia might not be dissolved in 
case the negociation should fail. As he had 
been chosen by Talleyrand to bring a ver- 
bal message to England, that choice led to 
his return with the answer. He said he wish- 
ed a person better qualified had gone, but if 
he had he would not have been allowed to re- 
main twelve hours in Paris, without producing 
his full powers. On his arrival he communi- 
cated his message, stating actual possession as 
the basis of the negociation ; and this basis, 
he said, was actually allow^ed in the second 
note to Lord Lauderdale. The noble lord 
concluded his observations by saying, " that 
if Government had wished for a written docu- 
ment, they ought to have sent him as a minis- 
ter, not as a post-boy." 

It was well known that a treaty between 
France and the Russian Minister D'Oubril, 
was on the tapis, but in the event of its 
being concluded Lord Yarmouth had no 
kind of instructions how to act, nor had he 



60 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

any instructions to come away at the time; 
therefore the arrival of Lord Lauderdale, 
who was appointed to succeed him, gave him 
no pain. ** Terms," said he, " of a glorious 
peace were then proposed (by the French), 
but they were refused, and the negociation 
was broken off, not for India, or any other 
British object, but on account of Sicily and 
Dalmatia." 

About this time a circumstance occurred 
which shewed that a denial of all indulgence 
to the Catholics never entered into Mr. Per- 
ceval's plan of government : — On the bring- 
ing in the bill for the education of the poor, 
Mr. Whitbread declaring himself favourable 
to a liberal interpretation of the word tole- 
ration, the Chancellor of the Exchequer de- 
precated the idea, that he wished to with- 
hold instruction from the Catholics : yet he 
could not but look with a jealous eye on so 
distinguished a mark of public favour to- 
vpards them, as the support demanded for 
Maynooth College. He had opposed this 
grant in the last parliament, but was unwil- 
ling to do it now, lest his opposition might 
be construed into spleen, by making this the 
only -exception to the grants of the last par- 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 61 

iiament. Was it, however, prudent to doable 
tlie number of popish priests educated at the 
college? Was this die way to extend the 
Protestant religion in that country? Only a 
hundred protestant clerg}'men were there 
educated annually, and they proposed to 
educate four times that number of popish 
priests. If the establishment was thus to be 
encreased, government ought, he thought, to 
have some hold on it, in some shape or ano- 
ther, that they might at least know that they 
were not nourishing in their bosom a society 
of Jesuits. Lord H. Petty contended for 
the necessity of the measure, and ridiculed 
tlie idea of allowing such a seminary, and 
dien compelling the priesthood to allow our 
system of education. The college was suffi- 
ciently under the contioul of government, as 
the act recjuired that the college should be vi- 
sited once in five yem*s by five visitors, among 
whom ^vere necessarily the Lord High Chan- 
cellor and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. 
The comparative statement of the two endow- 
ments was not placed in the proper light. 
Trinity College, Dublin, was one of the 
richest endowments in the world ; but were 



62 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

it not SO, that was no reason that the interest 
of the Catholics should be wholly neglected. 

Mr. Foster, member for the University of 
Dublin, approved of the erection of May- 
nooth College, as an excellent substitute for 
that of St. Omer. The propriety of doubling 
that establishment might be called in ques- 
tion. The excellent system of education, 
established in Trinity College, Dublin, had 
induced many Catholics to send their sons to 
that College. Its religious moderation was 
well known, and had been eminently dis- 
played during the late cry. It was a pro- 
testant garrison in a land of catholics ; but it 
would not join in any unfair cry against that 
body, and by the prudence of this system it 
would greatly assist in removing religious 
animosity. Mr. Dillon read a statement of 
sinecure livings in Ireland, by which it ap- 
peared that the catholics paid one-tenth of 
their property to the clergy for doing nothing, 
and he recommended to the house to take the 
state of tithes into their consideration. The 
Chancellor of the Exchequer assured the 
house, that the attention of government 
would be early directed to the state of glebe 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PKUCEVAL. 63 

houses, and sinecure livings. A measure 
would be introduced for reducing the opulent 
livings, and out of their abundiince making an 
allowance for poorer curates. He regretted 
much, that the late government had not paid 
more attention to the church of Ireland. 

The last sentiment roused up Lord Ho^v- 
ick, who totally denied the charge broiight 
against the late government, which he chai- 
lenged the Chancellor of- the Exchequer to 
prove, and adverting to the conduct oi 
Mr. Foster, in bringing in the bill witli- 
out proper documents, he charged him 
with levity. Mr. Foster retorted upon the 
noble lord, that in charging him with levity 
his lordship had shewTi both levity and igno- 
rance. Colonel Barry was against the con- 
tinuance of such a grant in future, and disaj)- 
proved of the wanton and unprovoked aspe- 
rity of the noble lord. Dr. Duigenan denied 
tliat the late administration had been atten- 
tive to the interests of the protestant religion 
in Ireland. So far from it, they had resisted 
a bill, introduced by him, to enforce the re- 
sidence of the clergy, with the approbation 
of several archbishops and bishops. Lord 
Howick would not allow this tg be anv 



64 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATIOK OF 

proof, as they might have the utmost regard 
for the protestant rehgion without entering 
into the -doctor's views. Mr. Grattan was 
for the measure, which was agreed to; and 
thus it w'ds observed, '' the cathoUcs cannot 
comp'ain of a nation, which contributes so 
much more to the support of their reUgion, 
than it does for that branch of the protestant 
rehgion, which is not so repugnant to the 
established church, and so numerous in this 
country. The methodists require nothing 
from the state; and the privilege of erecting 
a college seems to be as much as dissenters- 
of any kind can desire, or sound policy ap- 
prove." 

The speech with which parliament was 
prorogued on Friday, August 14th, express- 
ed his Majesty's regret at the unfortunate 
issue of the war upon the continent, and 
alluded to the immense extension of the 
power and influence of France, as reasons 
for our perseverance in the contest, and as 
the means of giving the character of honour 
to any future negociation, and aniving at the 
prospect of a permanent peace. 

About the latter end of September, 1807, 
Government thought proper to publish a 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 65 

Declaration in his Majesty's name, relative 
to the affair of Copenhagen, under the idea 
that he owed to himself and to Europe a 
frank exposition of the motives which dic- 
tated the late measures in the Baltic ; the 
principal ground of this is stated to have 
been the information that his Majesty had 
received the most positive information of the 
determination of the present Ruler of France 
to occupy with a military force the territory of 
Holstein, for the purpose of excluding Great 
Britain from all her accustomed channels of 
communication with the continent, and of 
availing himself of the aid of the Danish 
marine for the invasion of Great Britain and 
Ireland, &c. &c. 

The French Moniteur of September 21, it 
vv^as obser\Td, had anticipated almost every 
argument in this Declaration. 

In the course of October, 1807, we learnt, 
that by a Proclamation dated Memel, it was 
announced, that in pursuance of the peace 
concluded at Tilsit, Prussian ports must not 
only be shut against English ships, but all 
trade and commerce between Prussia and 
England must cease. This measure it wtis 
confessed would have been adopted before, if 
G 2 



6iS Ul'E AND ABMimSTRATTON ©T 

several Prussian shi|5s had not been lying in 
Knglisli ports, while others laden ^vitb provi- 
visions for Prussia were at sea. Not even a 
neutral bottom coming from English ports or 
colonies could any longer be admitted into the 
Prussian ports ; and the execution of this Pro- 
clamation was enforced in the most rigorous 
manner. 

On the 6th of November an instrument 
published by the Prince of Denmark at 
Rendsburgh, prohibited any trade or com- 
merce between his subjects and those of 
Great Britain, under very severe penalties, 
even though carried on by the means of a 
third person or party. Portugal also was 
this year compelled to shut her ports against 
us, though evidently w^ith the greatest re- 
luctance, and as the Prince Regent express- 
ed it, " he had acceded to the cause of the 
continent, by uniting himself to the Emperor 
of the French and to his Catholic Majesty, 
in order to contribute as far as it might be 
in his power to the acceleration of a maritime 
peace, "^"^ 

However, as the Prince and the Court 
of Portugal chose rather to retire to the 
Brazils under British protection, than re.. 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 67 

main in his own country either as a subject 
or as an ally of France, it was not astonish- 
ing that we should be told so soon after from 
the French Moniteur, " that the House of 
Braganza had ceased to reign." As to the 
advantages that were supposed would accrue 
to us from this transportation of the Portu- 
guese Court to South America, they were 
evidently over-rated. Besides an alliance 
between us and the Brazilians, it was 
thought it would have been in our power to 
regain in the way of trade, what we had lost 
by our misconduct at Buenos Ayres. 

The last measure of importance adopted 
by our Government in 1807, was the pub- 
lishing of his Majesty's Declai'ation, in 
answer to that of the Emperor of Russia, 
dated Petersburgii, October 20. This De- 
claration sets out by saying, his Majestj- was 
not aware of those secret engagements 
which had been imposed upon Russia in the 
conferences at Tilsit. The King, on the con- 
trary, hoped his Imperial Majesty would 
have extricated himself from the embarrass- 
ments of those new counsels and connections 
which he had adopted in a moment of de- 
spondency and cilanu, and that he would 



68 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

have returned to a policy more congenial to 
the principles he had so invariably professed, 
more conducive to the honour of his crovvn, 
and the prosperity of his dominions. 

- His Majesty deeply lamented the exten- 
sion of the calamities of war, but observed 
that if the Peace of Tilsit was indeed to be 
considered as the consequence, and the 
punishment of the imputed inactivity of 
Great Britain, he could not but regret that 
the Emperor of Russia should have resorted 
to so precipitate and fatal a measure, at the 
moment when he had received distinct assur- 
ances that his Britannic Majesty was mak- 
ing the most strenuous exertions to fulfil the 
wishes and expectations of his ally. 

His Majesty did not refuse the mediation 
of the Emperor of Russia after the peace of 
Tilsit, although the offer of it was accom- 

' panied by circumstances of concealment 
which might well have justified his refusal. 
The articles of the Treaty of Tilsit were 
not communicated to his Majesty, and spe- 
cifically that article of the treaty, in virtue 
of which the mediation was proposed. It 
was further urged against Russia, that the 
complete abandonment of the interests of 



THE tllGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 69 

the King of Prussia, presented no encourag- 
ing prospect of the result of any exertions 
>vhich his Imperial Majesty might be dis- 
posed to employ in fdvour of Great Britain. 
In answer to the assumed inviolability of 
the Baltic sea, and the reciprocal guarantees 
of the powers that border upon it, said to 
have been contracted with the knowledge 
of the British government, it was replied, 
that however his Majesty might at particular 
periods have forborne, for special reasons 
influencing his conduct at the time, to act 
in contradiction to them, such forbearance 
could never have applied but to a state of 
peace and real neutrality in the North ; and 
his Majesty most assuredly could not be ex- 
pected to recur to it after France had been 
suffered to establish herself in undisputed 
sovereignty along the whole coast of the 
Baltic sea, from Dantzic to Lubeck. 

It was also asked, that even if a media- 
tion by means of Russia had taken place, 
and a peace had been the result, and that 
peace guaranteed by his Imperial Majesty, 
could his Britannic Majesty have placed im- 
plicit reliance on it after having seen the 
Emperor of Russia openly transfer to France 



70 LIFE AKD ADMINISTRATION OF 

the Sovereignty of the Ionian Re\)ublic, the 
independence of which his Imperial Ma- 
jesty had recently and solemnly guaran- 
teed ? 

As to the expedition against Copenhagen, 
his Majesty felt himself under no obligation 
to offer any atonement or apology to the 
Emperor of Russia : his Majesty's justifica- 
tion of this expedition, it was said, was be- 
fta-e the world. 

The requisition of the emperor of Russia 
for the immediate conclusion of a peace with 
France, was represented as extraordinar)^ 
in the substance, as offensive in the manner, 
and the Emperor of Russia was reminded, 
that the last negociation between- Great 
Britain and France was broken off upon 
points immediately affecting, not his Ma- 
jesty's own interests, but those of his Im- 
perial Ally, the Emperor of Russia. There- 
fore his Majesty would neither understand 
nor admit the pretension of the Emperor of 
Russia, to dictate the time or the mode of 
his Majesty's pacific negociation with other 
powers. 

His Britannic Majesty also availed him- 
self of the present opportunity to proclaim 



THE RIGHT. HON. S. PERCEVAL. 71 

unetv those principles of the Maritime Law, 
against which the Armed Neutrality under 
the auspices of the Empress Catharine was 
originally directed, and against which the 
present hostilities of Russia were denounced: 
these principles his Majesty asserted it was 
his right and duty to maintain against every 
confederacy whatever. They had at all 
times contributed essentially to the support 
of the maritime power of Great Britain, 
and were become incalculably more valu- 
able and importiuit at a period, when the 
maritime po\\er of Great Britain continued 
the sole remaining bulwark against the 
overwhelming usurpations of France, the 
only refuge to Avhich other nations might 
yet resort for assistance and protection, &c. 

On the 21st of January, 1808, the Par- 
liament was opened with a speech delivered 
from the throne b)' commission. The speech 
entered into a justification of the measures 
that had been adopted since the last meet- 
ing, was ^'cry prolix, and drawn up with 
more than usual attention to st\^lc. The 
Commons \\ere again adckessed witlr. full 
confidence in their loyalty and public spirit 
to raise supplies, but at the same time en- 



72 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATJOK^F 

couraged with the hope that very little would 
be added to the public burdens. Both 
houses were again assured, that the war is 
really a just and national war, as it was 
purely defensive; and that nothing was 
wanted on the King's part but a secure and 
honourable peace : Providence was also again 
invoked to make the struggle successful 
and glorious to Great Britain. 

The Duke of Norfolk suggested an amend- 
ment to the address, proposing that the un- 
qualified approbation of the Copenhagen 
business should be omitted. In this amend- 
ment Lord Sidmouth concurred, and brought 
many ai'guments to prove that the attack on 
Copenhagen was unjustifiable : and he ob- 
served, that our wars from the revolution 
were founded upon the principles of uphold- 
ing the law of nations, and this was parti- 
cularly the case with the war begun in 
1793. A deviation from this principle could 
not be admitted. He could not subscribe 
to that monstrous policy which induced us, 
because we apprehended danger from a gi- 
gantic power, to com^mit such an act of in- 
justice, and follow the same course as had 
been pursued by that power. 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 73 

Lord Aberdeen approved of the Copen- 
hagen business, and maintained that the 
principles of our maritime rights must be 
universally asserted or not at all. 

Lord Grenville could not give any appro- 
bation of the Copenhagen business till the 
proper documents were laid before the house 
on which that melancholy affair could be 
justified. Last of all, he adverted to Ire- 
land, and strongly recommended the con- 
cession of the Irish claims, that the whole 
empire might be firmly united against the 
common enemy. Two amendments to the 
addi'ess, brought in by Lord Grenville, as 
also that proposed by the Duke of Norfolk, 
were negatived. 

In the House of Commons the address 
was moved by Lord Hamilton, who stated, 
with great energy, the critical situation of 
tlie country, in which faint-heartedness and 
listlessness would inevitably lead us to ruin. 
He praised Mr. Perceval and the rest of the 
Ministers to the skies, and was seconded by 
Mr. Ellis. 

Lord Milton reprobated the rejection of 
the mediation by Russia, and lamented that 



74 WFE AHFD ADMINISTRATION &9 

nothing in the speech appeared to indicate a 
disposition for the restoration* of peace ii^^^heis 
it was practicable. He asserted, that the: 
Copenhagen business was, primd facie ^ aii 
unprovoked act of aggression. 

Mr. Ponsonby hoped that England' would 
never bow her head to France ; and he Was 
convinced that if she were now to st<30p she 
would never be able to rise again. He was 
soiry to observe, that no notice had been 
taken of Ireland in the speech ; and he gave 
notice that if Ministers did not produce the 
documents on the Copenhagen business he 
should move for them himself, or introduee 
the subject in some other shape for regular 
discussion. 

Mr. Milnes vindicated the Ministry through 
thick and thin. 

MV: Whitbre^d reprobated the Copenha- 
gen business, and declared, that for his part 
he would ratlier have the Danish navy in tile 
Danish ports, manned with Danish sailors 
and their hearts with us, than all the ships 
they possessed in their own harbours, and 
the hearts of the population, as it now is to a 
liian, against us. He could not give the 



THE Hl^HT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 75 

ministers credit for getting off the court of 
Portug-al to their trans-atlantic possessions, 
and he lamented the want of a disposition 
for peace. He hoj^ed the people would con- 
tinue to press forward with petitions till 
Ministers were forced to make peace, or tlie 
government was placed in the hands of others 
who would agree to it. Yet he would sooner ■■■'^' 
sec the country perish, than witness a peace 
dislioiiourable or insecure. 

Mr. Canning asserted, that as to Russia, 
there was sufficient to justify Ministers in 
what they had done, and he was ready 
without documents to meet the discussion on 
that subject. She had offered to mediate, 
but she had neither the temper nor the 
power to do it, for at the time she professed 
to be the sworn protector of Europe, she 
was the slave of France by the treaty of 
Tilsit. As to the unfortunate affair of the 
Chesapeak, no time was lost on the investi- 
gation, and it appeared that an act had been 
done without authority, and an answer to 
this eifect was returned. As to the aifair of 
the Chesapeak, he said, reparation was 
voluntarily offered to the Americans, but 
unfortunately in the mean time other inci- 



76 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

dents occured, which still continued to b^ 
matter of discussion. The late Orders of 
Council were assuredly matters of the high- 
est impoitance, but they were made neces- 
sary by the conduct of the enemy. We 
had the right to make retaliation ; and we, 
cannot look forward to a permanent and 
onourable peace, but from our naval supe- 
riority. Lord Henry Petty and Mr. Ba- 
diurst each opposed Ministers, but without 
any new argument. 

Mr. Windham reprobated the Copenhagen 
business in the strongest terms. He had 
much rather that Buonaparte posiiessed the 
fleet, than that we should acquire it at the 
price of our honour, and the national de- 
gi-adation. The ships we had thus obtained 
were perishable, the enmity of a power once 
friendly to us would never decay, and our 
national disgrace would be eternal. The 
Chancellor of the Exchequer declared, that 
Ministers had no written document respect- 
ing the secret aiticles of the Treaty of Til- 
sit; but they had a communication of the 
substance of these secret aiticles from the 
most unquestionable authority. Mr, Sheri- 
dan was very severe upon Mr. Perceval, ob- 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PEttCEVAL. 

serving that we did not attack the fleets of 
Russia, whom Ministers could consider no 
otherwise than as a princri:)al, but we fall 
foul upon Denmark, who at any rate was 
but an accessal'}^ Afterwards we apply to 
Russia to mediate between us and Denmark, 
^^dlen we had committed an outrage beyond 
all possibility of a reconciliation. Such, he 
said, were the absurd measures pursued ; and 
in the mean time Ireland was neglected, 
without any attempt to reconcile that much 
injured country, on which subject he pledg- 
ed himself to bring forward an early motion. 
The Address, however, passed, without a 
division. 

On the next day, the Report on the Ad- 
dress was brought up in the Commons, when 
Mr. Macdonald expressed his disapprobation 
of it, on account of the affair at Copenhagen. 
Mr. Hibbert lamented the want of disposition 
to negotiate for peace, which he thought ^vas 
desired by all parties, who were heartily tired 
of this fifteen years struggle. 

Mr. M, A. Taylor reprobated tlie Copen- 
Iiagen business, and related som: facts re- 
lative to the Yorkshire petition for pea:e, 
which he stated to have been delivered, not 

rr Q 



7^ L,IF^ AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

SO much agtiiiist the war, as the Orders ol' 
Council, which, in the opinion of the peti- 
tioners, supported the efforts of the common 
enemy. 

Mr. Yorke thought it was absurd at this 
day to talk of abstract principles of right, 
when they were disregarded by the enemy; 
and thought the government of the countr}' 
could not be carried on, unless the House 
reposed some confidence in the speech of his 
Majesty : he therefore cautioned them against 
pressing for the disclosure of information 
which came from secret sources. 

Mr. Windham said, he was so old-fashion- 
ed as to thinli rascrJity on the part of an ene- 
my not a sufficient ground for us to ^ iolate 
the principles of honesty. Such a depravity 
in the mtional character he looked upoii as a 
dreadful s}'mptom, and forerunner of future 
rnin. The support given to bad principles in 
tliat House and in the country was impolitic 
and. unjust. Too little importance he thought 
attached to the preservation of tlie national 
character; and that the rrun of the country 
was not a greater evil than the extinction of 
our reputation. 

In the JiousG of Lords, fe Copenhagen 



THE KIGHT HON. ». PERCiiVAL. 79 

business wiis brought forward on the 8th 
of Fcbru;iry, 1808 ; their Lordships having 
Ixen suninioned for this ])urpose by the Duke 
of Portland. He opened die debate by ob- 
serving, tliat it was iK)t his intention to call 
for any papers which woukl be dangerous or 
ii>convenient to grant ; but even Ministers 
must wish to stand acquitted in the eyes of 
Europe, from tl:ie imputation of a violeiit 
and unprovoked attack on a neutral, a 
friendly, or a defenceless power. It had 
been stated, that the attack was grounded 
on actual information, that Denmark was to 
be dragged into hostilities against us, and 
that Ministers had documents to prove it. 
It was, therefore, tlie business of the House 
to call for such documents, and to pass judg- 
ment on a full view of the case. Violence 
of an extraordinary kirxd had been used, and 
great scandal to the governors and the na- 
tion had been incurred, from which nothing 
but imperious necessity could acquit them. 
He then moved for certain papers, S:c. 

Lord Wellesley opposed the motion as 
superfluous, which he thought evident from 
three dififerent points of view.— 1st. The evi- 
dent design of the French Emperor to draw 



80 LIFE AND AI>MINISTRATION OF 

tlie Court of Denmark into his plan of uni- 
versal confederacy against England — 2d. 
The means he had to accomplish this ob- 
ject — 3d. The danger attending the accom- 
plishment of this object, and the necessity 
of taking the strongest measures to secure 
our safety. His Lordship's conclusion from 
a long chain of reasoning was, that the 
Copenhagen business was justifiable and ab- 
solutely necessary. 

Lord Hutchinson, who had been with the 
Russian armies during the last campaign, 
and was frequently closeted with the Russian 
Emperor, could find no justification of the 
expedition against Copenhagen in the 
speech of the noble Lord, Wellesley. He 
had completely failed in proving, that Zea- 
land could not have effectually been defend- 
ed, even if the French had seized Holstein 
and Jutland. He wasi of opinion, that the 
defence of Zealand was perfectly practicable 
against the whole French army. He had 
been engaged in an important mission, on 
which it was necessary for him to speak, as 
partial extracts had been communicated 
from his dispatches, and he was held out as 
giving opinions which he never advanced. 



THE niGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 81 

He could speak to certain facts. The Rus- 
sian army in Poland never amounted to 
more than seventy thousand men, with the 
exception of two detached divisions, amount- 
ing* to thirty thousand. The French troops 
were estimated at a hundred and four or 
five thousand. The loss of the Russians af- 
ter the battle of Fricdland amounted to forty 
thousand men, eighteen hundred and ninety- 
eight officers, and twenty-nine generals. 
He was then convinced that Russia was un- 
der the necessity of making peace; and he 
observed, that the Emperor of Russia was 
smcere in his desire to mediate between this 
country and France ; and at all events, that 
the relations of peace and amity might have 
been preserved between this country and 
Russia. The Treaty of Tilsit was signed 
on the 7th of July. On the 23d of August 
he had a conference with the Emperor of 
Russia, to whom he confirmed an opinion 
advanced by him of the necessity of peace, 
and declared himself bound publicly to avow 
it, which he should do as lon^ as he lived. 
His Lordship then stated, that the Emperor 
declared his sincere and anxious wish, that 
England should make peace, as it was his 



4 



» 



§g },ir]^ Aia^ ADMIATISTjRATION Or 

ijjltiei-est, and that of IJurope a^id Eogland, 
ihat tranqmJlity shoukj be restored to t\m 
WQrl^* His Lordj^hip replied, that sufficient 
t|m^ bad ^oX foe^ii giv^ for the offer 4of 
?^4iatipn, and that no one in England 
would accept of peace, but on conditions 
reasonable and honourable. His Majesty 
TjCplied, that time was jip object, as we might 
tSfee three or four months to accept ot reject 
hi§ mcdiaticHi, but his anxious desire was 
fcM:" peace; the terms for which, h^ had no 
^ubt, were such fts hjs Lordship would 
f^eem to be highly reasonable and honour^ 
able. 

His Lordship allowed, that the result of 
the Copenhagen expedition did materially 
change the relations between Great Britain 
md Russia, and gave rise to sentiments of 
a very hostile nature at the Court of Peters- 
burgh. Here his Lordship detailed another 
conversation with the Russian Emperor oit 
the 4th of September, 1807, when the Em- 
peror declared, that the language of the 
Prince of Denmark had always been expli- 
cit and uniform : that he had maintained for 
many years a system of neutrality, in which 
he was determined to persevere, and that no 



Gonsidemtion should evei^ ttidvite hiiW to dt^ 
part frotn it. Wis tmpethl Majesty added, 
that he was sure no connection existed be- 
tween tlie Frcn<3h and Danish governinents, 
previottS to ottf fittiick oii Gop^fthagen, He 
stated the great concern which this unjusti- 
fiable aggi*ession kid given him : tlie French 
had never done any thing so strong, and it 
justified ei-^ry thing they had done, or might 
dte> hereafter. Such proceedings put an end 
to all the relations by which niltions con- 
ducted themselves toward's each other ; and 
in- the most peremptory language, tone, ^tf 
manner, hfe Miajesty said, th^t he wbiiltf 
have satisfaction-^complete satisfaction^^^for 
this unprovoked aggression. As to the vic- 
tory of Eylau, Lord Hutchinson declared; 
it was no victory to the Russians, who vVeUe 
generaHy unsuccessful, and unequal to the 
French, in generals, in discipline, and every 
rc^quisite, except courage. 

I^ord Erskine reprobated the Copenhageh' 
iDUsiness in the s-trongest terms. The fleet 
we had stolen, he said, he would rather we 
had met on the ocean filled with French- 
men, than to be covered with the disgmte" 
which now attaches to the nation. We, 



84 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

who entered upon the war with France as 
conservators of political morality, were in 
the end its most flagrant violators. 

The Earl of Buckinghamshire did not 
think the necessity of the attack had been 
shewn, or its policy proved. 

Lord Moira could sciircely persuade hinv 
self, that he was in a British House of 
Lords, when he heard such sentiments ad- 
vanced, and an action casting an indelible 
stain on our character was considered as a 
matter of mere speculation. We have now, 
^id he, lost all our moral advantages, and 
there is no longer a rallying point for the 
oppressed. The government had lost all 
credit for fortitude and magnanimity, if six- 
teen sail of the line could put it into such 
great fear for its existence. 

Lord Hawkesbury contended, that the 
whole might be referred to a first principle, 
equally belonging to nations, that of self- 
preservation, to which no limits but those of 
necessity could be assigned. 

Lord St. Vincent gave it as his opinion, 
that it was much easier to invade England 
from Boulogne, than Zealand from Hol- 
stein. 



THE KIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 85 

Lord Grey thought the honour of the 
nation had received a mortal stab, and did 
not alloAv that Lord Hawkesbury had in any 
point justified the conduct of Ministers. 

The curious case of the Admirahy Droits 
was brought before Parliament in the be- 
ginning of this year. To comprehend these 
it is necessary to imderstand, thart in a state 
of war, captures from the enemy are indis- 
putably the property of the captors ; but in 
a state of peace, property may be seized by 
order of the Crown, to which the captors 
have no right, as in the case of the Dutch 
frigates in 1807, and the Spanish frigates 
the year before. The amount of property 
thus seized is unknown, as is likewise the 
application of it, a few cases excepted. Suf- 
ficient evidence was, ho^^'e\er, brought be- 
fore the House of Commons, that the Duke 
of York and the younger Princes had re- 
ceived grants of money to a very consider- 
able amount, out of this fund. When the 
propriety of this practice became a ques- 
tion, it was -urged, that a King might com- 
mit acts of hostility, merely for the sake of 
increasing his own ])ri>'ate property, whilst 
the nation must be at the cxpence of sup 



86 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

porting the hostility such actjs may produce. 
Sir Francis Burdett, in taking up this sub- 
ject, moved for papers relative to the amount 
of this property and its application, which 
led to a slight discussion on these Droits of 
the Admiralty as they are called. His re- 
quest was only granted in part ; for though 
the amount of the property inquired after 
was ascertained, the application of it was still 
unfathomable. 

An imperfect hope of peace was brought 
within the view of the nation in the com- 
mencement of 1808, in consequence of over- 
tures being made to our government by 
France, through the medium of the Austrian 
minister, Prince Stahremberg, founded upon 
the pacific dispositions of his Britannic Ma- 
jesty, expressed in an official communica- 
tion to the Austrian government in Novem- 
ber, 1807. This ended in a communication 
from our ministry to the Prince, informnig 
him, that as he could not enter into any ex- 
planations in the name of the French govern- 
ment, or aiford any assurances by which that 
government would be bound, his Britannic 
Majesty could, not give any authority to the 



THE UIGHT HON. S. PEHCEVAL. 67 

>^rince de Strahrembcrg to speak in his name 
to the government of France. 

A lew clays after receiving this answer, the 
Austrian ambassador demanded and received 
his passports. The emperor of Austria, in 
an official declaration published at Vienna in 
February, expressed his wishes for the ar- 
rival of that moment, when the Court of 
London, sensible of its true interests, should 
with calmness and justice judge of and com- 
pare the situation of England with that of 
the other powers. This oifer on the part of 
the Emperor, was imputed by the war party 
here merely to his subserviency to the French 
ruler, and of course its failure made little im- 
pression. 

Much about this time, as if every means 
within the reach of diplomacy was to have 
been brought forward at once to harrass our 
administration, the King of Spain issued a 
decree against England, complaining of the 
abominable attack made upon the four Spa- 
nish frigates in 1806, sailing under the full 
assurance of peace. I'hat atrocious aggi^es- 
sion was now deemed a sufficient motive for 
an open rupture, consequently the Spanish 
monarch, in conjunction with his intimate 



88 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION %!F 

ally, the Emperor of the French and King oi 
Italy, had declared the British isles in a state 
of blockade, in order to see if that measure 
would reduce the British cabinet to abdicate 
its supremacy over the ocean, and conclude a 
solid and desirable peace ; he therefore adopt- 
ed all the measures of his ally. 

Earl}^ in 1808, Sir Sidney Smith pub- 
lished a declaration, dated off Lisbon, de- 
claring* that port and the Tagus in a state of 
blockade, in consequence of their being in 
possession of the French. The weakness of 
the King of Spain, in admitting French troops 
to pass through his territory to Portugal, 
began to appear more and more undenia- 
ble; for, on the 13th of February, 10,000 
French aiTived before the gates of Barce- 
lona, which they entered without opposition, 
the Spanish governor being given to under- 
stand they were only to halt two or three 
days in order to refresh themselves. They 
however took possession of the citadel and 
fortress of Montjuick. 

To deny that intrigues were made use oi 
to increase the breach between Charles and 
his son Ferdinand, to induce the former to 
resign and get both into the hands of the 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAL. 89 

French at Bayonne, would be folly in the 
exti-eme. Chiu-les IV. at length forniiilly 
abdicated his throne ; and when this mo- 
narch and his son came to Bayonne, it ap- 
pears that their mutual crimination and re- 
crimination furnished the French Emperor 
with an objection to any accommodation, on 
the ground that, consistent \vith his interests 
and liis means for opposing England, neither 
of them were fit to reign. The unhappy 
Ferdinand, though he dined with the French 
Emperor on the day on which he reached 
Bayonne, had not long returned to his resi- 
dence before General Sa\ary waited upon 
him to" declare, in the name of his master, 
*' that the Bourbon dynasty should no longei" 
reign in Spain, and that it should be suc- 
ceeded by the family of Buonaparte." Thi<> 
determination was coupled with a requisition 
that Ferdinand should, in his own name, 
imd in that of all his family, renounce the 
crown of Spain and the Indies in favour of 
the Emperor of the French. This, however, 
he could not be prevailed upon to do till the 
5th of May, 1808, when the King his father, 
the Queen, and the Prince of Peace, were all 
present before the French Emperor. Then, 
I 2 



90 LIFE ANB ADMINISTRATION OF 

all the party being seated, excepting Ferdi- 
nand, the father ordered him to make an ab- 
solute renunciation of the crown, under pain 
of being treated, with all his household, as 
an usurper of the throne, and a conspirator 
against the life of his parent. This was ac- 
ceded to in all due form on the 10th of May, 
and the father lost no time in informing the 
Spanish nation, in a Letter to the Supreme 
Council of Castile, *' that he had abdicated 
all his claims upon the Spanish kingdoms in 
favour of his friend and ally the Emperor of 
the French, by a treaty which had been 
signed and ratified; in which it was stipu- 
lated, that the King, Queen, and Prince of 
Peace, should preserve their respective ranks 
in France, with such of their servants as shall 
choose to follo^v them, and that the Imperial 
Palace of Compeigne shall be at the dis- 
posal of King Charles during his life; that a 
civil list of 80,000,000 reals shall be al- 
lotted to the King, and the dowry of the 
Queen at his death, shall be 2,000,000. 
To the Infiuitas of Spain the annual sum 
of 400,000 livres was to be secured, and the 
King gave to Napoleon his personal landed 
property in Spain in exchange for the 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 91 

Castle of Chambord. To Ferdinand, the 
Prince of Asturias, tlie Emperor ceded the 
domain of Navarre, Avidi an annual sum of 
400,000 livrcs of appanage rent, with a fur- 
ther rent of 600,000 . livres. The newly ap- 
pointed King, Joseph Bonaparte, arrived at 
Bayonne about the middle of June; but all 
the pains, as well as die force used to im- 
press the Spanish nation with favourable 
views of the change that had taken place, 
were unavailing. Ferdinand was proclaim- 
ed, at several places, by immense num- 
bers, encouraged by the clergy and nobility, 
A Supreme Junta, and Inferior Juntas, 
v\ere established at various places, all of 
w horn insisted that the abdications of Charles 
and Ferdinand could not be free, encom- 
passed as they were by every species of ar- - 
tiiice. Soon after this, with a view to the 
accomplishment of their ulterior views, the 
Junta of Seville issued in the name, but 
without the least authority from Ferdinand, 
the following proclamation of peace with 
England and Sweden. 

" The Supreme Junta of this principality, de- 
clares a general peace with England, and at the 
iame time the closest alliance with that nation, 



9^ LIPE AND ADMimSTUATlON OF 

which has, with the greatest generdsit)^, ofFered 
all the succours and assistance that have been asked 
of her. They also declare peace with Sweden, and 
order that all our ports shall be open to the vessels 
of both nations, and that this royal resolution be 
communicated to all the justices of the princi- 
pality." 

On the part of England, this insurrection 
in Spain was hailed as the most auspicious 
and happy event that could possibly have 
occurred. No fears were now entertained 
of reducing the increasing power and influ- 
ence of France, and least of all of wresting 
Spain from the grasp of their enemy. The 
Junta of Asturia dispatched two noblemen 
to England, and other deputies were also 
sent from other quarters, to inform our go- 
vernment that the inhabitants w^ere engaged 
in making e\'ery warlike preparation to op- 
pose their invaders, so that nothing but pa- 
negyric upon the Spanish patriots Avas to be 
heard from one end of the kingdom to the 
other. Arms, ammunition, and clothing be- 
ing what were principally wantmg, these were 
supplied in great abundance ; and as the ports 
in the Bay of Biscay were in the hands of the 
Patriots, these supplies were transmitted with 
the greatest facility. 



THE HIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAT.. 93 

About the same time an Order of Council 
was issued for taking off the blockade of the 
Spanish ports, those excepted whicli were in 
the hands of the enemy. All the Spanish pri- 
soners in our hands were also released and sent 
home, the more to insinuate ourselves into the 
good graces of our new allies. 

Attached to a degree of bigotry as the Spa- 
niards have ever been to the Papal See, it was 
with some degree of surprize, at this junc- 
ture, that we learned the French Emperor's 
determination of seizing the greatest part of 
the Pontiff's territory, namely, Urbino, An- 
cona, Macerata, and Camarino, to unite them 
for ever to the kingdom of Italy, principally 
because " the temporal sovereign of Rome 
had refused to make war against England." 
To this and other charges, his Holiness re- 
plied in a document of considerable length, 
in which assertions were made relative to the 
pretended rights of the church, and its spirit- 
ual head, which could only have been expect- 
ed in the dark ages. 

But to return to the affairs of Spain : so 
anxious were the j^eople of Cadiz to obtain 
English assistance against the French squa- 
dron in that port under Admiral Rosilly, 



94 MFE AND ADMIN ISTHATJK)N<Jft^ 

even before it was officially known there 
that the British government would lend its 
aid, that the former applied to Admiral 
Purvis, then at Gibraltar, who immediately 
sailed to co-operate with them. The French 
Admiral proposed to quit the Bay, and to 
make other concessions if this w^as not ac* 
ceded to ; but as nothing less than uncondi- 
tional submission would be heard of by the 
Spaniards, aftca* an unequal engagement ^ 
three days with the batteries on shore, he 
surrendered five sail of the line and a frigate. 
The death of Don Solano at Cadiz followed 
soon after, with the battle of Baylen, and the 
surrender of the French army under Dupont; 
which, with the obstinate defence made by 
the inhabitants of Saragossa under Palafox, 
naturally dispirited the enemy, while die 
hopes of the patriotic party were raised to a 
pitch of enthusiasm; but at Saragossa, as 
well as at many other places which fell into 
the hands of the French, the ardour of their 
opponents was compelled to give way to su- 
perior discipline and military skill. 

Indefatigably solicitous to raise obstacles 
to the growing power of France, in every 
quarter of the world, while these affairs were 



THE niGMT HON. S. PEnCEVAE. 9S 

going on upon the Peninsula, according to li 
convention agreed upon between his Bri- 
tannic Majesty and the King of Sweden, it 
^vas agreed that Britain should pay to the lat- 
ter the sum of 1,200,0001. sterling, in equal 
instalments of 100,0001. per month, to be 
appropriated to the support of an additional 
number of Swedish troops, beyond what the 
revenue of that kingdom was able to maintain, 
as well as to equip such a part of the Swe- 
dish navy as might be deemed necessffl*y, 
particularly its flotilla. 

Early in 1808, even before the season of 
the year had rendered Finland lit for open- 
ing the campaign, a Russian army of 40,000 
men crossed their own frontier, and proceeded 
as far as Helsingor, without opposition, which, 
when it was made by the Swedish forces un- 
der Count Klingspor, was ineffectual, in con- 
sequence of the inferiority of his numbers. 
Abo, the capital of Swedish Finland, was 
soon taken; Biomeberg, a strong place, was 
also captured, after the Swedish army had 
sustained a considerable loss in its defence. 
Sweaborg soon followed in submitting to the 
invaders; and one of the most extraordinary 
articles of its capitulation, expressly stipu 



96 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

lated, that the numerous galleys and the flo- 
tilla there taken should be restored to Sweden, 
after the conclusion of a peace, in the event 
that England should also restore to Denmark 
the fleet which she took last year. 

Too late to afford our Swedish ally any 
eflfectual assistance, the British government 
dispatched Sir John Moore, with about 
10,000 men, to the Baltic: these troops, it 
is understood, were never employed, owing 
to the difference of opinion between the Bri- 
tish general and his Swedish Majesty, which 
arose to such a height, that this weak mo- 
narch would have arrested Sir John Moore 
if he had not escaped in a cart to Gotten- 
burgh, which vehicle was waiting at a short 
distance from Stockhohii, and belonged to 
Mr. Johnson the messenger. This occurred 
in the afternoon of Wednesday the 29th of 
June ; when the British general, being in the 
habit of a private gentleman, first visited his 
apartments at Gottenburgli to ascertain whe- 
ther his paper'^ had been safely conveyed on 
board the Victory, which being done, he 
proceeded alongside that ship, disguised as 
he had travelled from Stockholm. Soon aft^ 
tliis a Russian fleet of thirteen sail of the 



THE RIGHT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 97 

Jine besides frigates, were chased by the Swe> 
dish Admiral and two line -of- battle ships, un- 
der Sir Samuel Hood and Captain Martin, who 
succeeded in burning one of them after an 
action of twenty minutes, and compelling the 
rest to take refuge in the port of Rogerswick. 
Unhappily for the Swedes this short cam- 
paign terminated in the cession of Finland to 
the Russians, and the annexation of it to 
Russia for ever. 

In Spain, though most of the maritime 
places were in the hands of the English and 
the patriots, yet as the capital was in posses- 
sion of the French, and as King Joseph had 
arrived at Vittoria, the new constitution of 
Spain being settled and approved by the Junta 
of Bayonne, he there published a proclamation 
promising to govern according to the laws, 
the nation which Providence had confided to 
him. The better to secure the affections of 
his new subjects, the persons he chose to fill 
the principal posts in the civil and military 
departments of the state, were selected from 
the most ancient and respecfcible families 
of the grandees. Many persons also, as well 
as corporate bodies, being convinced that 
nothing was so well calculated to save their 

K 



98 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

country from the horrors of war as the 
cordial reception of their new monarch, 
were solicitous to pay him their respects as 
he passed. 

At Burgos a triumphal arch had been 
erected, where, soon after his arrival, his 
Majesty gave audience to the Archbishop, 
the Chapter, the Intendant, the Consulate, 
and a number of other persons. And having 
taJien up his residence at the Archbishop's 
palace, which adjoins the cathedral, he went 
to see that ancient edifice, where he was re- 
ceived under a canopy with all the solemni- 
ties usually observed with respect to royal 
personages. 

On the 26th of June, when King Joseph 
reached the capital, the Royal Council of Cas- 
tile sounded aloud their panegyric on his mo- 
derate views; he having waved his universal 
right over the public revenues, by making a 
distinction between those of the crown and that 
of the state. 

It must be confessed, that this kind of 
conquest over the affections of the Spaniards, 
and the peaceable possession of the capital 
by the r rench, was soon interrupted in con- 
sequence of the surrender of Dupont and 



THE RIGHT HON. S. I'EKCl^VAL. 9V 

his army; as nine days alter, viz. on the 31st 
of July, the new king and all liis adherents, 
conceiving themselves no longer in salct}', 
w ere compelled to leave it. 

But though a great number of persons of 
all descriptions continued in open arms 
against the Freneli in the provinces, parti- 
cularly in Valencia, Andalusia, &c. a report 
of the War Minister of France imputed the 
want of success to " English gold and the 
agents of the Inquisition, who were afniid 
of losing their authority, and to the influ- 
ence of the numerous tribes of monks in 
Spain, who dreaded reform." And the 
question is then asked, will your Majesty 
permit England to be able to say, ^* Spain 
is one of my provinces; my flag, driven 
Irom the Baltic, the North Sea, the Levant, 
8cc. rules in the ports of Spain?" No, 
never, Sire : to prevent so much shame arid 
misfortune t\\'o hundred thousand brave men 
;(re ready to scale the Pyrenees, and chase 
the English from the Peninsula." The pro- 
bability of meeting the English at length, 
and lighting them man to miin, Mas held up 
^ no small advantage, in makiiig them also 



100 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

feel the evils of a war of the dangers of which 
they were ignorant, having only caused it by 
their gold. 

But if the situation of the French in 
Spain in 1808 was rendered thus uneasy and 
critical, in Portugal it was still more so, in 
consequence of the British fleet, whose con- 
stant and vigorous blockade caused the 
inhabitants of Lisbon to feel all the calami- 
ties of famine. Trade also being at a stand, 
and scarcely any of the merchants either 
paying or accepting bills, it was not strange 
that the populace were often impelled to 
acts of tumult and outrage. Soon after 
this, as the Spaniards and English had 
seized Oporto, and all the northern pro- 
vinces were in a state of insurrection; and 
as Sir Arthur Wellesley had arrived from 
Cork with an army of ten thousand men to 
co-operate with Admiral Cotton against 
Lisbon, General Junot found sufficient em- 
ployment in preparing for his own defence. 
Before Sir Arthur effected the landing of his 
men, he received advice from the British 
Government that five thousand men under 
General Anstr other were proceeding to join 



THE llIGrtT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 101 

him, and that above ten thousand under Sir 
John Moore would soon after be dispatched 
for the siime purpose. 

The British General's chief object was to 
have attacked the posts of the enemy stationed 
along the coasts, but for want of co-operation 
on the pml of the Portuguese he was obliged 
to give this up. 

On the 12th of August, 1808, the British 
army reached L}Tia; and on the 1 5th, the 
itd\^anced guard came up, for the first time, 
with a party of the French at Ovicdos. A 
slight action took place, occasioned by the 
eagerness of the English troops, who how- 
ever were obliged to desist from their attack, 
and retire with some trifling lo^^s.. A detach- 
ment of British riflemen also, wfib pursued the 
enemy within three miles of Brilos, escaped 
with much difficulty from being entirel}' cut 
off. 

On the 16th, the British army halted at. 

Caidas, and on the following day the Frencli 

were driven from all the hills in front of 

Roleia, but conducted their retreat in good 

order; and the deficiency of number in the 

j.\giish ca\alry was the reason that the 

pcmy sustained but small loss; that of the 

K 2 



102 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

English on this occasion was gazetted, in 
killed, wounded, and missing, as consisting 
of twenty-eight officers, and four hundred 
and fifty-one non-commissioned officers and 
privates. 

On the day following the above battle, the 
British army proceeded to Lourinha, to 
protect the disembarkation of the troops 
under General Anstruther; but the French 
general, Junot, knowing that further rein- 
forcements were expected from England, 
resolved, notwithstanding the repulse of a 
portion of his army on the 17th, to renew 
his efforts to compel the British to retire 
before fresh succours should amve. With 
this view he quitted Lisbon with nearly the 
whole of his troops, and proceeded on his 
anarch to Vimiera. Sir Arthur Wellesley 
had made himself master of a fine position, 
but intended to march tov/ards Mafra on 
the morning of the 21st, and thereby turn 
the position of the French divisions under 
Generals Loison and Laborde. This, how- 
ever, he was prevented from doing by the 
arrival of Sir Harry Bun'ard at Macera 
Bay on the preceding evening. Sir Harry 
was prompted to this measure undej* the 



THE RIGHT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 105 

idea of waiting for a reinforcement under 
General Ackland ; but, on the night of the 
20th and on the morning of the 21st, the 
French troops were seen in motion by the 
British centinels, in such a manner as to leave 
no doubt of their intention to attack ; Sir Ar- 
thur accordingly made every necessary prepa- 
ration to meet it. 

The village of Vimiera stands in a valley ; 
at the back, and to the northward and west- 
ward of this little town, there is a moun- 
tain, whose western point extends to the sea, 
while the eastern is separated by a deep 
ravine from the heights, over which the 
road passes that leads from Lourinha. The 
greatest part of the English infantry, with 
eight pieces of artillery, were posted on this 
mountain, under Generals Hill and Fergu- 
son. The riflemen under General Fane, 
and the brigade of General Anstruther were 
posted on a hill to the east and south of the 
village, entirely commanded by the moun- 
tain upon which Generals Hill and Fer- 
guson were placed. The cavalry and re- 
served artillery were stationed in the valley 
between the hills on which the infantry 
were posted, flanking and supporting Ge- 



104 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

neral Fane's advanced guard. As soon as 
the French appeared, as it was obviously 
their intention to attack the advanced guard 
and left wing of the British, the latter 
changed their positions to meet and repel 
them. Major-general Ferguson's brigade 
was immediately moved across the ravine to 
the heights on the road to Lourinha, with 
three pieces of cannon ; he Avas followed 
successively by Brigadier-general Nightin- 
gale with his brigade, three pieces of cannon, 
and two other brigades. These troops were 
formed on the heights to the right and left of 
Vimiera. 

The attack of the enemy commenced in 
several columns upon the whole of the Bri- 
tish troops, on the height to the southward 
and eastward of the town, and notwith- 
standing the fire of the English riflemen, 
they advanced close to the 50th regiment, 
by whose bayonets they were checked and 
driven back. In the ohurch-yard also, 
where a small body of troops v. ere posted, 
a further engagement took place, in wliich 
the French were repulsed ; and while one 
column advanced against the British left, 
another body endeavoured to break tlirough 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 105 

the right wing, but were repulsed at the 
point of the bayonet by the 95th, supported 
by the second battaUon of the 52d, which, 
by an advance in column, took them in 
flank. But after General Anstruther ad- 
vanced to attack the enem}% the contest on 
the height was long and desperate, till at 
length the French gave way, and retired in 
great confusion, leaving behind them seven 
pieces, of cannon, and a number of killed, 
wounded, and prisoners. They were pur- 
sued by a detachment of British cavalry, but 
from the enemy's superiority in this re^ect^ 
the English, after having suffered severely, 
were obliged to return. It is sufficient how- 
ever to say, that the enemy failed in all 
his attacks, and that though their loss was 
very considerable, that of the English, ac- 
cording to their own return, amounted in 
killed, wounded, and missing, to no more 
than 800 men ! 

After a victory so glorious, it appeared 
most unaccountable that Sir Hew Dalrym- 
pie, who had quitted his station at Gibraltar 
to take the command of the British army in 
Portugal, and arrived at C intra, should 
listen to a proposal made by Junot, by a 



106 LIFE AKD ADMINISTRATION OF 

flag of truce, for the evacuation of Portugal. 
An armistice which v^as hkev/ise agreed 
upon, directly after the battle, did not ap- 
pear less astonishing than any event of the 
war. This general, however, who must be 
supposed to have been the best judge of 
passing events, urged, " that mimy circum- 
stances of a local and incidental nature" 
had great weight in deciding his resolution. 
The great importance of time, he also ob- 
served, which the enemy could easily have 
consumed in the protracted defence of the 
strong places they occupied, if terms of 
convention had been refused them, was 
decisive as to the measures. he then adopted, 
to put an end to the campaign in that 
quarter. 

But as the conveiUion of C intra stipula^ 
ted that the French under General Junot 
were not to be considered as prisoners of 
war, but that all the individuals composing 
it were to be transported to France, with 
their arms and baggage and the, whole oS 
their private prcpert}^, the nation at lai'ge, 
particularly the capital, felt highly indig- 
nant. They had flattered themselves that 
noticing short of surrendering at x^iscretion 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 107 

eould be granted to an enemy completely 
xanquishcd. The Portuguese, likewise, 
could not see the enemy retire unmolested 
with all his plunder, witliout extreme morti- 
fiaition, so that the measure was as much 
condemned in Portugal as in England ; at 
length ^\4len the French were ready to set 
sail in the transports provided for them, 
they were detained, till they had restored 
whatever could be proved to have been un- 
justly taken from individuals, or from the 
public buildings in Portugal. The city of 
London in this case made themselves re- 
mai'kably conspicuous, but in the answer to 
their remonstrance transmitted to his Ma- 
jesty, they were very civilly reminded, 
" tliRt they ought to concern themselves 
with their own affairs." However several 
county meetings followed, but with no other 
effect than that of shew^ing their own weak- 
ness, and the comparative superiority of the 
w^eight and influence of their opponents in 
the Cabinet, and the Grand Council of the 
nation. 

The events that immediately succeeded 
were by no means calculated to excite very 
sanguine hopes of speedy success in Spain or 



108 I.1FE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

Portugal, for on the 26th of October, when 
the French Emperor went to the Palace of 
the Legislative body, he remarked it as a 
distinguished favour of that Providence 
which has constantly protected the French 
arms, that passion had so far blinded the 
English counsels that they abandon the de- 
fence of the seas, and at last produce that 
{irmy on the continent, "I," added he, 
" depart in a few days to put myself in per- 
son at the head of my army, and with God's 
help to crown the King of Spain in Madrid^ 
and to plant my eagles on the forts of 
Spain." An answer, in terms similar to this 
speech, was returned by the Legislative 
body : " Sire,'' say they, " the hand that 
has led you by miracle to the summit of 
human grandeur, will abandon neither 
France nor Europe, whic4i yet for so long a 
time stands in need of you." 

The meeting of the Emperors of France 
and Russia took place on the 27th of Sep- 
tember at Erfurth, but though it was said 
this interview had for its object a general 
restoration of peace to Europe, the particu- 
lai's of what passed have never been clearly 
ascertained. Soon after this Imperial con- 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 109 

ference a Russian and a French messenger 
were dispatched to England with offers ol a 
pacific nature, wliich were rejected for no 
other reason than because no terms could 
then be consistently listened to on the part 
of the Court of St. James's, that did not in- 
clude in them the evacuation of Spain and 
the restoration of Ferdinand ; and in the 
Declai'ation published by our Government 
on this occasion, it was stated, " With 
astonishment as well as with grief his Ma- 
jesty has learnt that the universal Spanish 
nation is described by the degrading appel- 
lation of the Spanish Insurgents, The Em- 
peror of Russia also stigmatizes as * insur- 
rection' the glorious efforts of the Spanish 
people, in behalf of their legitimate Sove- 
reign," &c. 

To return to the war, the island of Capri 
on the coast of Naples had been some time 
held by the English ; but about the begin- 
ning of October, 1808, an expedition was 
fitted out at Naples under General La- 
marque, and other officers, consisting of sixty 
transports, having on board one thousand 
five hundred men, with a frigate, a corvette, 
and twenty-six gun-boats. But though the 



110 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OI^ 

English were apprized of the enemy's ^- 
proach, a vivid and incessant fire from the 
British musketry did not prevent the disem- 
barkation of the enemy ; however, after 
getting on shore, as it was necessary to make 
themselves masters of the height of Ana- 
capri, which commands the island and all 
the forts which defend it, the French 
soldiers accomplished that object by climb- 
ing up the bye ways which seemed imprac- 
ticable, being intersected with ditches and 
intrenchments, and defended by two batta- 
lions of the Royal Maltese regiments, who 
were made prisoners of war, and carried to 
Naples. In the end, however, all the Eng- 
lish were compelled to surrender to the 
French, notwithstanding relief was in sight. 
For once this conquest was effected more by 
the activity of their marine, than the valour 
of their land forces. 

On the 4th of November, 1808, the French 
Emperor set out from Bayonne to take the 
command and direction of his army in 
Spain. At this time the army of Estrema- 
dura, with the expected assistance from 
England, under Generals Sir John Moore 
and Sir David Baird, opposed itself to the. 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. Ill 

French. The army of Blake wiis estimated, 
before the junction of the Marquis Romana, 
at twenty-three thousand men. The com- 
bined armies of Castanos and Palafox at 
nearly sixty thousand, and another corps at 
twenty thousand men. Previous to the 
French Emperor's an'ival at Vittoria, several 
spirited actions had been fought by his ge- 
nerals, and Blake's army^w^iolly routed. 

The naval transactions of 1808 were not 
of their usual importance ; the Rochefort 
squadron, eluding the vigilance of tlie 
British, entered Toulon, while Sir John 
Duckworth, who was in search of them, 
proceeded to the West Indies. Sir Edward 
Pellew destroyed four Dutch ships of war 
in Griesse harbour, in the island of Java. 

On the 5th of July the Turkish ship of 
war Badere Gaffer, of fifty-two guns and 
five hundred men, was captured by the Sea- 
horse frigate. Captain Stewart. In Novem- 
ber also his Majesty's ship the Amethyst, 
of thirty-six guns, Captain Seymour, fell 
in with the Thetis French frigate, which 
she captured, after one of the most sangui- 
nary contests ever known. 

The year 1808 was further remarkable 



112 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

for the death of Lord Lake, that of Dr. 
Hurd, Bishop of Worcester, and Lord 
Liverpool ; with the destruction of Covent 
Garden theatre by fire, and for the laying 
the foundation stone of the new theatre, by 
his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, 
on the 31st of December, the last day of the 
old year. 

The month of February, 1808, was much 
occupied by the trial of General White- 
lockc. The footing which had been made 
on the banks of the river of Plate, by Sir 
Home Popham and General Beresford, was 
to be secured and extended by subsequent 
armies, and General Whitelock sailed to 
take the command of these in 1807. The 
cause of his defeat appeared plainly to have 
arisen from his pursuing measures ill-calcu- 
lated to facilitate the conquest of Buenos 
Ayres. It appeared that whilst Liniers, 
a known Frenchman, was filling the post 
of commander-in-chief in that quarter, the 
minds of the Spaniards were so much in- 
flamed against us, as almost to produce a 
general detestation. General Whitelocke 
was so presumptuously confident of his own 
success, that am on a; other articles he had the 



THE RIGHT HON. S, PERGEVAL. 113 

audacity to demand of the Spaniards the 
surrender of all persons holding civil offices 
in the government of Buenos Ayres, as pri- 
soners of war, which only tended to produce 
and encourage a spirit of resistance to his 
Majesty's arms, which proved fatal to the 
undertaking. 

Though previously to his attack upon 
Buenos Ayres, on the fifth of July, 1807, he 
was informed that the enemy meant to oc- 
cupy the flat roofs of the houses, he ordered 
the muskets of the troops to be unloaded, 
and no firing to be permitted on any account, 
even while they had to march througli the 
principal streets of the town, by which they 
were unnecessarily exposed to destruction, 
without the possibility of making effectual 
opposition. 

Although it was in his power, the general 
did not even make any effectual attempt, by 
his own personal exertion or otherwise, to 
co-operate with, or support the different divi- 
sions of the army under his command, which 
after having partly accomplished the object, 
was left without further orders. 

Another charge against him, was, that in 
the treaty that he entered into, and finally 
L 2 



114 LIFE AND ADMINISTUATJON OF 

concluded with the enemy, he acknowledged 
that " he resolved to forego the advantages 
which the braver}"^ of his troops had ob- 
tained." The advantages he mentioned in 
his dispatches, cost him about 2,500 men, 
in killed, wounded, and prisonejrs. In his 
treaty it was observed, " he had shame- 
fully surrendered all his advantages, totally 
evacuated the town of Buenos Ay res, and 
consented to deliver to the enerny the strong 
fortress of Monte Video, at that time suffi- 
ciently garrisoned and provided against 
attack." 

In consequence of these charges, the 
general having returned home in 1807, on 
Thursday, January 28th, 1808, a Court 
Martial commenced its sitting at Chelsea 
Hospital, and continued by adjournment till 
Tuesday, March 15th, 1808, when he was 
found guilty of the whole of the charges 
brought against him ; the court adjudging, 
"that the said Lieutenant General White^ 
locke be CASHIERED, and declared to- 
tally unfit and unworthy to serve his Majesty 
in any military capacity whatever." This 
sentence the King was pleased to confirm. 

The effects of the Convention of Cintra, 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL* 115 

and the unexpected turn of affairs in favour 
of the French in Spain, gave rise to many- 
strong reflections in this country. " We 
would," says a poUtical writer of the day, 
" willingly shut our eyes to what has been 
passing in November, 1808. The French 
cooped up in a narrow space all the summer, 
not attacked when they were few in num- 
ber, are now triumphantly spreading them- 
selves over the whole country. What a con- 
trast to their state six months ago ! Let any 
one take a map, and mark out the situation 
of the French even three months ago. Let 
him reflect on the number of our ships, and 
the number of our soldiers, and then ask this 
plain question, * If Buonaparte had had the 
same number of ships and men in England, 
and the people of Spain in an insurrection, 
how long would he have permitted the French 
to remain in repose? Would he not have 
landed, if necessary, the whole army of Eng- 
land, between Bilboa and St. Sebastian, 
and marching from the shores of Biscay to 
the Mediterranean, have cleared the country 
of the French, and secured the passes of the 
Pyrenees against their return ?' But the re- 
sources of Spain and Elritain have been frit- 



116 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

tered away, while Buonaparte, acting with 
judgment, firmness, and resolution, has car- 
ried his point." 

The session of parliament was this year, 
1809, opened on the 19th of January. The 
speech stated that his Majesty had called 
them together in perfect confidence that they 
were cordially prepared to support his Ma- 
jesty in the prosecution of the war, which 
there was no hope of terminating safely and 
honourably, except through vigorous and 
persevering exertion. 

His Majesty, they were informed, had di- 
rected copies of the proposals for opening ne- 
gociations at Erfurth, and of the correspond- 
ence which took place thereon, with the go- 
vernments of France and Russia. His Ma- 
jesty, it was said, was persuaded that both 
houses would participate in the feelings he 
expressed when it was required that he 
should consent to commence the negociation, 
by abandoning the cause of Spain which he 
liad so recently and solemnly espoused. 
His Majesty had renewed to the Spanish 
nation, the engagements which he volunta- 
rily contracted at the outset of its struggle. 
With respect to Portugal, though he contem- 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 117 

plates with the liveliest satisfaction the de- 
liverance of the kingdom of his ally from 
the presence and oppression of the French 
army, he most deeply regretted the termina- 
tion of that campaign, by an armistice and 
convention ; of some of the articles of which, 
his majesty felt himself obliged formally to 
declare his disapprobation. 

The aid to the King of Sweden, which 
was to be continued, was mentioned, and it 
was also observed, " that Monarch derives a 
peculiar claim to his Majesty's support, for re- 
jecting any proposal for negociation, to 
which the government of Spain was not to 
be admitted as a party." 

The address was, as usual, an echo to the 
speech; and after some debate, which related 
principally to the mode of carrying on the 
\vwr, was agreed to without amendment or 
division. 

One reason why the debates in the two 
houses, on the opening of the session, had 
so little interest attached to them, was, 
that the leaders of opposition had mani- 
fested such eagerness to embark in the 
cause of Spain, without having a competent 
knowledge of the real state of affaii's in that 



118 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

kingdom, that the principal difference be 
tween them and their opponents, rested 
merely on the mode in which the war had 
been, and should be carried on. But the 
intelligence which arrived very soon after the 
opening of the parliament, produced a ma- 
terial change in the sentiments of some of 
the members : Lord Auckland declared, 
" he considered the Spanish cause as hope- 
less." Lord Milton, in answer to Lord 
Castlereagh, instead of sending more troops 
to Spain, wisely recommended, " that we 
ought rather to shut ourselves up within our- 
selves, content with a force sufficient for our 
country, and repel the enemy should he 
choose to attack us." 

The event of our expedition to Spain was 
tot too fatally anticipated ; even in one of 
the French bulletins, "that circumstance," 
it was observed, " must furnish materials for 
a fine opening speech to the English par- 
liament. * The English nation must be in- 
formed that her army remained three months 
in a state of inaction, while it was in their 
pow^r to assist the Spaniards : that its 
leaders, or those whose orders they executed, 
had been guilty of the extreme folly of mak- 



THE RIGHt HON. S. PERCEVAL. 119 

ing a movement forwiird, after the Spanish 
armies had been destroyed ; that, in a word, 
it entered upon the new year by rumiing 
away, pursued by tlie curses of those whom 
it had stiiTed. up to resistance, and whom it 
was its duty to support. Such enterprises, 
and such results, can belong only to a country 
that has no government. Fox, or even Pitt, 
would not have been guilty of such blunders. 
To contend against France by land, who has 
100,000 cavalry, 50,000 horses for all sorts 
of military equipment, and 900,000 infantry, 
were, on the part of England, carrying folly 
to the utmost extreme ; it is, in fine, to ad- 
minister the affairs of England just as the 
cabinet of the Thuilleries would wish them 
to be administered." 

These bitter siircasms of the enemy, though 
treated with contempt at the time, were but 
too fatally verified. The report of the Con- 
vention of Cintra, the appearance of which 
liad been anxiously expected by some per- 
sons, w^as so deficient in the first instance, 
that his Majesty sent it back for revision; for 
as it altogether omitted noticing the prin- 
cipal points the framers of it were expressly 
required to take into consideration, viz. the 



120 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

armistice and the convention. The court re- 
assembled, and by their amended report it 
appeared that members were of diiferent 
opinions; three members approved of the 
former, but disapproved of the latter, and 
one, Lord Moira, disapproved of both. The 
court, however, were unanimous that no 
further military enquiry was necessary, and 
the whole of the blame was thrown upon 
Sir Hew Dairy mple, whilst the thanks of 
the house were procured for Sir Arthur 
Wellesley ! 

About this time the speech of the Presi- 
dent of the American Congress arrived in 
town, with the very fair offer to the British 
Government to take off the existing em- 
bargo, if Great Britain would repeal its 
Orders in Council, so far as they related to 
America ; this proposal, as it might have 
been expected from the temper of the ad- 
ministration, was not accepted. 

But to return to our affairs in Portugal : — 
on the 24th of January, 1809, a gazette ex^ 
traordinary was published, containing dis- 
patches from General Sir David Baird, 
dated Ville de Paris at sea, January 18th, 
confirming the report of the death of the 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PEHCEVAL. 121 

much lamented General Sir John Moore, 
who fell in the action with the enemy, on 
the 16th of the same month, and by which 
we learnt that the French army attacked tlie 
British troops in the position they occupied 
in front of Corunna, at about two o'clock 
in the afternoon of that day. Sir David 
himself received a severe wound in this ac- 
tion, which was long and obstinately con- 
tested. The command of the army devolv- 
ing upon Lieutenant General Hope, his dis- 
patches, which were written on board the 
Audacious, contained such particulars of this 
action which government thought proper to 
publish by authority. He stated that about 
one in the afternoon of the 16th, the enemy, 
wfio in the morning had received reinforce- 
ments, and had placed some guns in front of 
the right and left of the line, was observed 
to be moving troops towards his left flank, 
and forming various columns of attack at the 
extremity of the strong and commanding 
position, which, on the moiniing of the ^ 5th, 
he had taken in the immediate front of the 
British. 

This indication of his intention was im- 
mediately followed by the rapid and deter- 

M 



J22 LIFE AND ADMmiSTBATION OF 

mined attack upon the division which occu- 
pied the right of our position, when this first 
effort of the enemy was met by the Com- 
mander of the forces, and by Sir David 
Baird, at the head of the 42d regiment, and 
the brigade under Major General Lord Wil- 
liam Bentinck. Very soon after a severe 
wound had deprived the army of Sir Da- 
vid's services, Sir John Moore, who had 
directed the most able disposition, fell by a 
cannon shot. The troops, not dismayed at 
the irreparable loss they had sustained, by the 
most determined bravery not only repelled 
every attempt of the enemy to gain ground, 
but actually forced him to retire, although he 
bad brought up fresh troops in support of 
those originally engaged. 

The enemy finding himself foiled in every 
attempt to force the right of the position, 
endeavoured by numbers to turn it. A ju- 
dicious and well-timed movement, which 
was made by Major General Paget, with 
the reserve, which corps had moved out of 
its cantonments to support the right of the 
army, by a vigorous attack, defeated this 
intention. The Major General, having 
pushed forward the 95th (rifle corps) and 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. l23 

first battalion 52d regiment, drove the enetny 
before him, and in his rapid and judicious 
advance, threatened the left of the enemy's 
position. This circumstance, with the po- 
sition of Lieutenant General Frasier's division 
(calculated to give still further security to the 
right of the line), induced the enemy to relax 
his efforts in that quarter. 

They were, however, more forcibly directed 
to^^'xirds the centre, where they were again 
successfully resisted by the brigade under 
Major General Manningham, forming the 
left of General Baird's division, and a part 
of that under Major General Leith, forming 
the right of the division. Upon the left, 
the enemy, at first, contented himself 
With an attack upon our picquets, which, 
however, in general maintained their 
ground. Finding, however, his efforts un- 
availing on the right and centre, he seemed 
determined to render the attack upon the 
left more serious, and had succeeded in ob- 
taining possession of the village through 
which the great road to Madrid passes, and 
which was situated in front of that part of 
the line. From this post, however, be was 
soon expelled, with considerable loss, by a 



124 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

gallant attack of some companies of the 
.second battalion 14th regiment, under Lieu- 
tenant Colonel Nichols; before five in the 
evening, we had not only successfully re- 
pelled every attack made upon the position, 
but had gained ground in almost all points, 
and occupied a more forward line than at the 
commencement of the action, whilst the ene- 
my confined his operations to a cannonade, 
and the fire of his light troops, with a view 
to draw off his other corps. At six the 
iiring entirely ceased. The different bri- 
gades were re-assembled on the ground they 
occupied in the morning, and the picquets 
and advanced posts resumed their original 
stations. 

Notwithstanding the decided and marked 
superiority which at this moment the gal- 
lantry of the troops had given them over an 
enemy, who from the numbers and the com- 
manding advantages of his position, no doubt 
expected an easy victory, the General did 
not, on reviewing all circumstances, con- 
ceive that he should be w^arranted in depart- 
ing from the fixed and previous determina- 
tion of the late commander of the forces to 
withdraw the army on the evening of the 



THE klGHt hb^. ^. PERCEVAL. 125 

16th, for the purpose of embarkation, the 
previous arrangements for which had already 
been made by l}is order, and were in fact far 
advanced at the commencement of the action. 
The troops quitted their position about ten 
at night, with a degree of order that did 
them credit. The whole of the artillery that 
remained unembarked, having been with- 
dra^vn, the troops followed in the order pre- 
scribed, and marched to their respective points 
of embiu-kation in the tonn and neighbour- 
hood of Corunna. The picquets remained at 
their posts until five on the morning of the 
17th, when they were also Avithdi-awn Avith 
similar orders, and without the enemy liaving 
discovered the movement. 

Though the whole of the army was em- 
barked with an expedition that has seldom 
l:)een equalled, the enemy pushed his light 
troops towards the to^vn soon after eight 
o'clock in the morning of the 17th, and 
shortly after occupied the heights of St. 
Lucia, which command the harbour ; but 
the disposition of the Spaniards being good, 
the embarkation of the last brigade, under 
Major Generals Hill and Beresford, were 
commen€(;d and completed in the course o^' 
M 2 



126 L,l¥E AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

the afternoon. General Beresford having ex- 
plained to the satisfaction of the Spanish 
Governor of Corunna, the nature of the 
British movement, all the wounded that had 
not been previously moved, embarked before 
one in the morning. 

Circumstances, the general acknowledged, 
produced the necessity of rapid and harassing 
marches, which had diminished the numbers, 
exhausted the strength, and impaired the 
equipment of the army. To these disadvan- 
tages might be added those more immedi- 
ately attached to a defensive position, which 
the imperious necessity of covering the har- 
])our of Corunna for a time, had rendered 
it indispensable to assume. 

A supplement to the Gazette extraordi- 
nary, published on this occasion, contained 
a dispatch from Rear Admiral de Courcy, 
which stated in general terms, that in the 
\ icinity of Corunna, the enemy had pressed 
upon the British in great force ; and that the 
British, though triumphant, had suifered 
severe losses. Sir John Moore received a 
mortal wound, and Sir David Baird lost an 
arm, and that several officers and many men 
had been killed and wounded. The great 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 127 

body of the transports lost their anchors and 
ran to sea without the troops they were 
ordered to receive ; in consequence of which 
there were some thousands on board the ships 
of war. Several transports, through mis- 
management, ran on shore^ tvv o were burnt, 
and five were bilged. 

Notwithstanding the most favourable 
glosses put upon this disastrous event, the 
historian had a melancholy task to perform. 
The British had retreated before the forces 
of Buonaparte, and had for a short time 
taken refuge in Corunna, but not being com- 
petent to keep the place, the enemy were left 
triumphing in their leader's prediction, 
'' that he would in a short time oblige the 
English to take refuge in their ships ; and 
thus, at the termination of this ill-fated cam- 
paign, the iiorth and the middle of Spain 
were left in the sole possession of the enemy. 

Never was the opinion of Lord Moim on 
the conduct of the war in Spain felt more 
forcibly than at this mournful period. His 
Lordship contended, that a large force should 
have been sent to the foot of the Pyrenees, 
when the French were weak in that quarter, 
which would have given an opportunity to 



WS LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

Spam to bring forward its troops and defend 
those important passes against future inva- 
sion, whilst they hemmed in the enemy that 
had already entered. The fate of the brave 
but unfortunate General Moore, however, 
deceived a tribute of acknowledgment from 
the enemy, " that he was a clever and sen- 
sible man, to whom it was impossible to 
impute the folly of the plan of the cam- 
paign." 

How exceedingly unpleasant any remarks 
upon the affairs of the peninsula were taken 
by the ministry in any quarter to which they 
were not compelled to attend, was evident 
from the manner in which the address of the 
city of London upon the convention of C intra 
was taken. But as truth is the child of 
time, when an address of thanks was moved 
in the Upper House, it called up Lord 
Erskine, who, as a privileged person, could 
there contradict the flimsy representations of 
newspapers, and even London gazettes, with 
impunity. He said, 

** Was it possible to deplore the loss of friends 
^hom we loved, and of men whose lives were 
precious to their country in a most awful crisis, 
V?ithout lamenting in bitterness that they were 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 129 

literally immolated by the ignorance and folly of 
those who now v/ished to cover their own dis- 
ijrace, by the just and natural feelings of the 
public, towards men who had died for their coun- 
try ? But for their immortal renov/n it would have 
been better for them, certainly much better for 
their country, to have shot them upon the parade 
of St. James's park, than to have sent them, not to 
suffer the noble risk of soldiers, and in a practica- 
ble cause, but to endure insufferable, ignoble, and 
useless misery, in a march to the very centre of 
Spain, when they who sent them knew that Buo- 
naparte had above an hundred thousand men 
before them, so as to render attack not only im- 
practicable, but retreat only possible by the noble 
and unparalleled exertions which that House had 
assembled to commemorate. And what sort of a 
retreat ? a retreat leaving upon the roads and in 
the mountains of SpainyVom eight t(^ nine thousand 
of our brave men dying of fatigue^ without one act 
of courage to sweeten the death of a soldier! 
W hat could then be a more disgusting and humi- 
liating spectacle than to sec the government of this 
great empire in such a fearful season in the hands 
of men who seem not fit to be a vestry in the small- 
est parish." 

Earl Grosvenor also asserted in the House 
oF Lords, that the retreat to Corunna was so 
rapid, and the privation of the troops so great. 



130 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

that officers were obliged to walk without 
shoes or stockings, and the army was nearly 
in a state of mutiny, occasioned by their suf- 
ferings. 

From the contemplation of these and simi- 
lar objects, the ministry were at length, hap- 
pily for themselves, relieved by the investi- 
gation of the charges made by Mr. Wardle 
in the Commons against his Royal Highness 
the Duke of York, as Commander in Chief 
of the army. Mr. Wardle was member for 
Oakhampton ; he was formerly a majo^ in 
Sir W. Wynne's regiment of fencible cavalry, 
when upon service in Ireland. This serious 
business was brought forward by Mr. Wardle 
on Wednesday, February 1st, when the 
honourable gentleman stated in his place in 
the House, that he had ordered a general list 
of witnesses t6 be transmitted to the Com- 
mander in Chief, thus giving his Royal 
Highness every advantage in his power, and 
l3ie means of knowing the grounds On which 
he meant to proceed. He offered himself as 
an accuser of the Royal Duke on grounds 
that had come to his knowledge, and from 
reports which ought not to pass unnoticed in 
that House, He then alluded to what had 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 131 

dropped from the Hon. Mr. Yorke on the 
preceding Friday, who then asserted his 
belief, " That there existed a conspiracy of 
the most atrocious and diabolical kind 
against his Royal Highness, founded on the 
Jacobinical spirit which appeared at the 
commencement of the French revolution." 
Much, Mr. Wardle observed, had been said 
of jacobinism, much of tlie licentiousness of 
tlie press, and of a conspiracy against the 
liimily of Brunswick ; but he had taken up^ 
no reports circulated through the medium of 
the press, nor employed the press in his accu- 
sation of the Royal Duke. He then took 
upon himself to prove by evidence unques- 
tionable, either at the bar of that House, or 
before any other tribunal, that pecuniary 
transactions to an enormous amount did take 
place, the very, discover}^ of which led to the 
breach between the Commander in Chief 
and the lady whom he should call to their 
bar, who was then under the protection of 
his Royal Highness. The first witness he 
called was Dr. Andrew Thynne, to prove the 
charge relati\'e to the exchange of Col. 
Knight with Col. Brooke; in fact, Mr. War- 
die brought forward five cases on which 



1S2 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

his charges were founded, viz. that of a Mr. 
Tonyn, who paid Mrs. Clarke five hundred 
pounds on being gazetted as a major. This 
sum was paid to a silversmith, in part of 
plate for the establishment of herself and the 
Duke of York. From these it was inferred, 
that Mrs. Clarke possessed the power of mi- 
litary promotion, that she received pecuniary 
consideration for it, and that the Commander 
in Chief was a partaker in tlie benefit arising 
from it. A Major Shaw, it appeared, agreed 
to pay a thousand pounds to Mrs. Clarke for 
the place of Deputy Barrack Master at the 
Cape of Good Hope; but on some failure on 
his part, and complaint to the Duke on that 
of Mrs. Clarke, Major Shaw was put upon 
half-pay, so that the lady's influence ex- 
tended to appointments on the staff. As to 
Col. French's levy, it transpired that Mrs. 
Clarke was to have a guinea on the bounty of 
each man raised for this corps in 1804 and 
1805, and the sale or patronage of a certain 
number of commissions; and from a loan, 
said to have been in agitation, it was inferred 
that Mrs. Clarke had the power of increasing 
the military force of this country. The case 
©f a Captain Maling was curious ; he was 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PKRCEVAL. 133 

appointed to an ensigncy, then to a lieu- 
tenancy, and afterwards to a captaincy, 
thougli during the whole of this progress he 
remained a clerk in an office without seeing 
any service. Another point referred for 
further consideration, when the business was 
first brought before the Commons, w^as the 
establisliment of an office for the sale of 
commissions, and the disposition of places in 
church and state. The sketch of these in- 
stances of coiTuption only in outline, it was 
observed, began to stagger the opinions of 
some of Mr. Wardle's opponents, who at 
first, under the pretence that infamy must 
certainly attach somewhere, either to the 
accuser or accused, evidently thought to 
intimidate Mr. Wardle: this called up Mi:. 
Wilberforce, who very properly rebuked the 
Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Attor- 
ney General for their manner of treating tlie 
witnesses, ^\hich he called brow- beating 
them. The examination of Mrs. Mary Aiine 
Clarke went to prove that she resided in 
.Gloucester place, in o, house belonging to 
the Duke of York, in 1805; that she then 
liyed under the protection of his Royal High-- 



i34 LIFE AND ADMIKISTRATION OP 

ness. She admitted that she had grounds 
of complaint against the Duke of York; 
and that she told his counsel, Mr. William 
Adam, in a letter, that if he did not pay 
her annuity regularly she would expose the 
letters of his Royal Highness. She admit- 
ted, in the course of her examination, that 
she was in the habit of frequently seeing 
Colonel Wardie, and that she had reluc- 
tantly communicated to him the substance 
of what she had stated at the bar of the 
House, and that she was displeased at being 
compelled to come before that assembly. 

As soon as the evidence was closed, and 
which seemed strongly against his Royal 
Highness, it was said that the Duke, justly 
considering his character deeply affected on 
the present occasion, thought it necessary to 
take some notice of the proceedings of the 
Commons : he accordingly addi'essed the fol- 
lowing letter to the Speaker : 

*^ Sir, Horse Guards, Feb. 23, 1809. 

" I have waited with the greatest anxiety until 

the conimittee appointed by the House of Com« 

mons to enquire into my conduct as Commander 

iatChief of his Majesty's army, had closed its 



THE RItSHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 135 

examinations, and I now hope that it will not be 
deemed improper to address this letter through 
you to the House of Commons. 

" I observe with the deepest concern, that in 
the course of the inquiry my name has been 
coupled with transactions the most criminal and 
disgraceful, and I must ever regret and lament 
that a connection should ever have existed which 
has thus expbsed my character and honour to 
public animadversion. 

" With respect to my alleged offences, con- 
nected with the discharge of my official duties, I 
do in the most solemn manner, upon mij honour as 
a prince^ distinctly assert my innocence, not only 
by denying all corrupt participation in any of the 
infamous transactions which have appeared in 
evidence at the bar of the House of Commons, or 
any connivance at their existence, but also the 
slightest knowledge or suspicion that they existed 
at all. 

" My consciousness olf innocence leads me con- 
fidently to hope that the House of Commons will 
not, upon such evidence as they have heard, adopt 
any proceeding prejudicial to my honour and cha- 
racter; but if, upon such testimony as has been 
adduced against me, the House of Commons can 
think my innocence questionable, I claim of their 
justice that I shall not be condemned without 
trial, or be deprived of the benefit and protection 



136 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

which is afforded to every British subject by thost 
sanctions under which alone evidence is received 
in the ordinary administration of the law. 
" I am, Sir, your's, 

'' FREDERICK." 
" The Speaker of the House ofCommonaJ*'* 

Notwithstanding all the attempts made to 
weaken the charges brought against his 
Royal Highness, and the failure of Mr. 
Wardle to cany the motion he made on 
summing up the evidence, *' That his Royal 
Highness ought to be deprived of the com- 
mand of the army," and subsequent motions 
calculated to acquit him of personal corrupt 
tion^ the Royal Duke found it necessary to 
,wait upon his Majesty at Windsor, where, 
after a long audience, he tendered him a 
written resignation, Vvdiich his Majesty was 
graciously pleased to accept, and Sir David 
Dundas was thought a proper person to be 
appointed as his successor. 

The Duke probably did not feel alto- 
gether satisfied that a majority of eighty-two 
members of the House of Commons had 
acquitted him of connivance in Mrs. Clarke's 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 137 

business, and lie might probably think that 
the two hundred members who had voted 
him guilty, although a minority in the House 
of Commons, spoke the unequivocal sense of 
a very great majority of the people out of 
doors. 

By way of return to Mr. Wardle and his 
friends, Lord Folkstone, Sir Francis Bur- 
dett, and others, the address of thanks, begufi 
by the city of Canterbury, to the member for 
Oaikhampton, was followed by similar ad- 
dresses from boroughs, cities, and counties, 
one and all breathing the same spirit of detes- 
tation of corruption and zeal for the adminis- 
tration of the government and the public mo- 
ney according to the principles of the consti- 
tution. This example in England extended 
to Scotland and Ireland. 

A motion of the highest importance, 
grounded on recent events, was brought for- 
ward in the House of Commons, on the 17th 
of April, by Lord Folkstone, for the appoint- 
ment of a committee, to enquire into the 
(Existence of corrupt practices in the state, as 
th^ purchase and- sale of commissions, and 
the issuing letters of service. The necessity 
of this committee he urged from the late 
N 2 



138 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

discovery of various abuses, which proved 
that corruption had gone on upon a settled 
system, the whole of which ought to be com- 
pletely exposed, and proper remedies applied 
to prevent the ruin of the country by the con- 
tinuation of such abuses. The Chancellor of 
the Exchequer saw no necessity for such a 
committee ; for were it efficient he would ask, 
ought the House to enquire into all the abuses 
which had taken place during the last half 
century ? What effect, he asked, could such 
a proceeding have, except to increase the fer- 
ment in the public mind ? but Lord A. Ha- 
milton was convinced, that the most certain 
way to increase the discontents of the people 
^vas to stifle enquiry into those abuses, the ex- 
iste nr,fifcf>f which no man now could be obsti- 
nate el^^h to deny. 

Lord Henry Petty objected to the extent 
of the trust to be delegated to the Commit- 
tee. Such an inquisitorial power, he thought, 
should be exercised only by the whole 
House. Mr. Whitbread acknowledged, that 
a ferment did exist, and an indignant feeling 
pervaded the public on this occasion ; it was 
therefore desirable to know through whose 
means persons obtained situations in the 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 139 

army, the church, and other piibUc establish- 
ments. Mr. Tierney was offended that no- 
tice had not been given of a motion, which, 
he contended, amounted to an arraignment 
of the whole of his Majesty's government, 
as guilty of corruption in every one of their 
various departments. Mr. Ponsonby, Sir J. 
Anstrutlier, Mr. Wynne, and Mr. Canning, 
expressed a decided disapprobation of the 
motion ; and, though a long debate ensued, 
on a division, 30 votes appeared for it, 
agauist it 178, making a majority of 148. 

That several members of the opposition 
should resist an enquiry so salutary as this 
proposed by Lord Folkstone, excited no 
small surprise ; but the coalition of senti- 
ments and feelings on this subject, between 
the right honourable leader of the Lis, and 
the right honourable leader of the Outs, 
was remarked, as being similar to the famous 
coalition recorded by Hudibras : 

" This shews how perfectly the Rump 
*^ And Commonwealth, in nature jump." 

And yet, at the moment th^se objections 
were making against enquiry, by the sup- 
porters of Administration, fresh instances of 



140 LIFE AND ADMINISTKATIO^TOF 

iniqditous peculation was crowding to view : 
a motion made by Sir Francis Burdett, 
which he justly termed " a scandalous job," 
relative to some land contiguous to Chelsea 
Hospital, made it appear, that in a grant fo 
Colonel Gordon, one of the friends of the 
Duke of York, he obtained a lease of a 
piece of land for ^50 a year; for which 
land, with the exception of a quarter of an 
acre, the public had paid £5000. 

A Committee of Finance, instituted for 
the purpose of investigating abuses in that 
department, having brought forward their 
Fourth Report about this time j to this Re- 
port the attention of the House of Com- 
mons was solicited by Mr. Ord: it detailed 
the conduct of the Commissioners for the 
Sale of Dutch Prizes, viz. Messrs. Crauford, 
Briekwood, Chatlield, Baxter, and John 
Bowks. By Mr. Ord's speech it appears, 
they kept no regular account of the monies 
that came into their possession. They had 
charged a commission of five per cent, on 
the gross proceeds of property, amounting 
ift four years to ;C80,000. It was by the first 
tmnsaction that they secured a commission 
df ;^25,000; and tMs conduct they had 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 141 

adopted, after* the violent abuse which John 
Bowles had launched against all those who 
had neglected to give fair returns under the 
income tax. It further appeared, that the 
Act appointing these Commissioners re- 
quired they should lodge their money in the 
Bank of England ; yet, on the contrary, they 
had kt pt large sums at their private bankers : 
that, iilthough they held balances in their 
hands at one period amounting to £, 20p,000, 
and during the whole of the latest period 
never less than £. 50,000, when Mr. Pitt ap- 
plied at a time of great public difficulty for 
£, 50,000 on account, they, although they 
had at that time £, 190,000 in their posses- 
sion, informed the Minister they could af- 
ford him no assistance. Mr. Ord, after cha- 
racterizing the neglect of the Pitt Adminis- 
tration " an encouragement to abuses, and 
a bounty to roguery," moved sundry resolu- 
tions, reprobating such neglect as leading to 
the most prejudicial consequences, declaring 
it to be a violation of the obvious duty of 
the Government. To these statements Mr. 
Perceval was led to reply, " that he was 
prepared without any notice from the ho- 
nourable gentleman, to communicate the 



IA2 UFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

measures that were about to be taken by Gor 
vcrnment," and then recommended him to 
withdraw his motion. 

After a short discussion, including an ex* 
cellent speech from Mr. Whitbread, charging 
the Commissioners with gross prevarication 
in their evidence before the Committee, and 
endeavouring to withhold from the public 
the real state of their criminal conduct, the 
previous question was put and carried, and 
another motion passed of a more gentle na^ 
ture, in which, although the conduct of the 
Commissioners was censured, tlie Adminis- 
tration, which had so long winked at tliat con- 
^€t, was simply charged with having omitted 
to notice it ! 

In this debate, as it j^peared that Mr. 
Rose being suspected by Mr. Whitbread as 
having a leaning towards Mr. Jolm Bowles, 
and a partiality for his writings, he assured 
the Hon. Gentleman, that he had never read 
any of his thirty pamphlets, though he would 
allow that they were regularly laid on his ta- 
ble. 

The war between France and Austria, 
wliich was supposed would operate so much 
to the relief of Spain, and had been pre- 



THE BietIT HON. S. PBRCEVAt.. 143 

dieted so long before-hand by the ministerial 
writers, actually broke out 'm the spring of 
1809. 

In the pompous Manifesto published on 
this occasion by the Emperor of Austria, he 
complained of the manner in which the Ar- 
ticles of the Treaty of Presburg were car- 
ried into execution ; of a passage demanded 
by France for hei troops from tlie Venetian 
States to the Provinces on the east coast of 
the Adriatic ; of the insults offered to the 
Sacred Head of the Church ; ^c. But the 
true secret of the Emperor's complaints cer- 
tainly transpired in the avowal expressed in 
the same document, " that the security of 
the Austrian empire could not be sought in 
an insulated state." His majesty then in- 
vites all sun'ounding states to assist him, 
and endeavours to tUiimate them by assu- 
rances. *' A happier lot," he siiys, " awaits 
you : the liberty of Europe has taken refuge 
under our banntrs ; and your brothers in 
Germany, yet in the ranks of the enemy, 
long for their deliverance. Our assistance 
is your last eftbrt to be saved. Our cause is 
thf't of Germany. United with Austria, 
Germany was independent and happy ; it is 



144 T ■ y. AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

only through the assistance of Austria that 
German}^ can receive happiness and inde- 
pendence." 

From these indications and corresponding 
circumstances it was evident, that tlie Aus- 
trian war of 1809 had for its basis the prin- 
ciple of all the coalitions, which have been 
formed for these twenty years past. In fact, 
the emperor's ministers acknowledged, that 
he very unwillingly, and only as an act of 
necessity, signed each of his different trea- 
ties of amity with France. 

The official documents published by 
France, like those of the Emperor of Aus- 
tria, contain a variety of complaints mingled 
with a number of truths. " The horrible 
expedition against Copenhagen," and the 
" British Orders in Council," for instance, 
were reprobated in very strong terms. But 
the manner in which the Emperor of Austria 
commenced the war, afforded the best j)roof 
of his regard for the principles of justice, 
and the independence of States. — The King 
of Saxony and King of Bavaria had reason 
to complain, that without a declaration of 
war, and without any previous explanation, 
their territory was invaded. In fact, the lat- 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 145 

ter was compelled to leave his capital, 
which w^as for a time in the hands of the 
Austrians. 

The Emperor of France, in one of his 
bulletins, recommending to the Bavarians to 
give minute and faithful accounts of the acts 
of wanton cruelty committed by the Aus- 
trians, the invaders of their country, added 
the extreme probability, that it would be tlie 
last insult Austria would be able to offer to 
the allies of France. Scarcely a week had 
elapsed after the arrival of Napoleon at the 
head of his army, when brilliant and repeat- 
ed victories had routed nearly one half of the 
Austrian forces, and made 40 or 50,000 pri- 
soners. The victor triumphantly addressing 
his soldiers, told them, that before the ex- 
piration of a month they should be at Vien- 
na. This promise was made on the 24th of 
April. In little more than a fortnight, viz. 
on the 12th of May, it was realized — ^the 
Emperor with his victorious army took pos- 
session of the Austrian capital. 

After a series of victories and good for- 
tune almost unprecedented, the victorious 
career of the French Emperor was for a 
short time anxsted, owing, as the French 
o 



146 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

bulletins stated, to an accidental breaking 
down of their bridges by the swelling of the 
Danube. The Austrians, on this account, 
were represented in England, as having ob- 
tained a brilliant victory; and nothing but 
congratulations was heard of among the ad- 
vocates for the war, on the supposed charm 
of the French Emperor's invincibility being 
broken. On this account, a sudden frenzy 
seemed to have seized upon all the journal- 
ists under ministerial influence, as well as 
some of their opponents. 

An interval of some weeks in the opera- 
tions of ^var was so new to the French, that 
many persons began to think some negoci- 
ation was on foot between the contending 
parties ; still the delusion that had seized 
on all the public writers, with few excep- 
tions, continued till the arrival of a fresh 
bulletin, which announced, that the repara- 
tion of the bridges and the preparations of 
the French were nearly completed ; but 
when the battles of Enzendorf and Wagram 
were announced, then " How unstable is 
the ground of all human hopes ! how impo- 
tent the grasp of all human expectation ! — 
It is with heartfelt grief, &c." were some of 



THE KIGUT HON. S, PERCEVAL. 147 

the exclamations used as prefaces to the as- 
tonisliing catiistrophe that had taken place. 
It appeared, that on the 5th of July, at 
day-break, after several movements had 
taken pkcc in the French army for passing 
the Danube, ever}^ one perceived ^vhat had 
been the project of the Emperor Napoleon, 
who was then with his whole army arranged 
in order of battle at the extremity of the 
enemy's left, having turned all his entrench- 
ed camps, and rendering his works useless, 
obliged the Austrians to abandon their posi- 
tions, and come and offer him battle on the 
spot that was convenient to him. The great 
problem which had puzzled so many was 
thus resolved — and without passing the Da- 
nube on other points, without receiving any 
protection from the works he had raised, he 
forced the enemy to iight three-quarters of 
a league from his redoubts. From that mo- 
ment the greatest and happiest results v/ere 
foreseen. Enzendorf was cleared of the Im- 
perialists. Count Oudinot suiTOunded and 
carried the Castle of Sacksengang, forcing 
900 men in it to capitulate. The Emperor 
then caused the whole army to spread itself 
along the immense plain of Enzendorf, 



148 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

where the enemy was every where over- 
whelmed, and the field of battle covered 
with his remains. Strongly alarmed at the 
unexpected progress of the French army, 
the Archduke put all his troops in motion. 
The details of this battle would not interest 
the reader, who is only curious to know the 
result : this was, on the part of the French, 
the taking of ten pair of colours, forty pieced 
of cannon, twenty thousand prisoners, includ- 
ing between three and four hundred officers', 
and a considerable number of generals, colo- 
nels, and majors. All the enemy's wounded, 
twelve thousand in number, fell into the hands 
of the French. 

Some of the French columns were en- 
gaged so near to Vienna on this occasion, 
that the people covered the turrets, steeples, 
and roofs of the houses. The Emperor of 
Austria left Wolkersdorf on the 6th, at five 
in tlie morning, where from a tower he had 
also a view of the field of battle. The 
Austrians retreated in the utmost disorder, 
and an armistice was agreed upon between 
the two Emperors at Zraim, on the 12th of 
July. This armistice led to the peace which 
buried all the hopes of those who reckoned 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 149 

upon any further diversion in favour of Kng- 
land upon the Continent. 

Thus it was that the French Emperor 
answered the proud language of the Aus- 
trians; and thus all the resources of their 
favourite general, the Archduke Charles, 
were cut oft', he being obliged to retreat 
into Bohemia. Even from this period it 
was easy to see, that the afftiirs of Spain 
must finally take their colour from those of 
Austria. 

We might now advert to the famous Wal- 
cheren Expedition, the promise of which, 
as a matter of diversion, excited strong 
hopes of success on the part of the Austrians 
in their rene^val of hostilities v/ith France, 
and whicli were bitterly disappointed : but 
for the numbers Vv-ho perished in those un- 
healthy marshes, and almost in the presence 
of a few thousands of the enemy. Leaving 
the I^ords Chatham and Castlereagh to ac- 
count, we must in future confine ourselves 
more to the measures of Mr. Perceval as a 
Statesman, in order that we may have am- 
ple space for a particular detail of the final 
overthrow of his adherents, who vainly at- 
tempted to adniii^ister the affairs of the conn- 
o 2 



150 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

try, after they had lost their head on thellth 
of May last. 

The year 1808, m fact, was pregnant with 
misfortunes to this country ; but in none more 
than in Spain and Flushing: however, when 
the Chancellor of the Exchequer met the 
Parliament, we were still told, that vigorous 
exertions would lead to the termination of 
the war with safety and honour. Happily 
for Ministers, the attention which would 
otherwise have been fixed upon them was 
soon drawn off, by the exposure of the cele- 
brated Mrs. Clarke, and the conduct of his 
Royal Highness the Duke of York, in Ja- 
nuary, February, and March, 1809. And 
yet, after all the evidence which had been 
brought forward, the Chancellor of the Ex- 
chequer thought that the House should pre- 
viously come to a decision on the question ^ 
whether the Duke was guilty or not guilty 
of corruption ; and begged them to recollect 
who it was they were endeavouring to turn 
out, almost the first subject in the kingdom. 
If the charge should be substantiated, the pro- 
per mode would be to carry up their accusa- 
tion to the House of Lords, and proceed to 
an impeachment. It would be severe, in 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 151 

deed, to cast upon his Majesty a task which 
the Commons themselves would not under- 
take to perform. The House had two 
courses to pursue; the first to see whether 
the charges were proved, and then to enquire 
what proceedings ought to be adopted. The 
one was a judicial, the other a discretionary 
question. The guilt, if any, must appear 
from the evidence ; and the principal in it 
was Mrs. Clarke, who appeared to him to 
be perfectly incompetent. This he endea- 
voured to prove by an examination of her 
evidence, and after entering into a long de- 
tail on this and the other evidence, he \vas 
interrupted by strong cries for adjournment. 
Acceding to the wishes of the House, he 
begged leave to submit his view of the case, 
shortly, to the House, in the shape of reso- 
lutions, on which he would, at a future op- 
portunity, dilate ; these were,, that diere was 
no just ground to charge the Duke with per- 
sonal corruption, or criminal connivance at 
abuses, in his capacity as Commander in 
Chief. If this should be acceded to, he 
should propose an Address to the King, with 
this resolution, and noticing the important 
services performed by the Commander in 



152 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

Chief, in his department. The Chancellor 
of the Exchequer, not content with this, de- 
clared his belief on his soul, that there was 
not in the kingdom an individual so able as 
tlie Duke to perform the duties of his office. 
The address, proposed by him, stated, 
that the House has seen the exemplary regu- 
larity and method in which business is con- 
ducted in the Duke's office, and the salutary 
regulations introduced by him, some of which 
were intended to prevent the very abuses 
complained of; but it feels great concern 
that a connection should have existed, ex- 
posing the Duke's character to public 
calumny ; and that frauds should have been 
carried on, with which his name has been 
coupled, of a most disgraceful and dangerous 
tendency. The regret of the Duke, on this 
connection, was a great consolation to the 
House, which is confident that he will keep 
in view the uniformly virtuous and exemplary 
conduct of his Majesty, since the commence- 
ment of his reig-n, and which has endeared 
his Majesty to all his subjects. The House 
adjourned, and the discussion was carried 
on for several nights. The Chancellor of 
the Exchequer resumed the debate, and 



tHE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 153 

made a very long legal speech on the evi- 
dence, in which he was supported, and 
nearly with the same arguments, by the 
Attorney- General . 

After several nights' debate, the House 
came to a vote on the 15th of March, and the 
first division was, whether they should pro- 
ceed by Address, or by Resolution, when 
there were 

For the address 199 

For pKoceeding by resolution - 294 



Majority against the address - 95 

The next vote was 

For Mr. Wardle's motion - - 123 

Against it ..._.- 361 

Majority ^44 
On the 16th Sir Thomas Turton proposed 
an amendment to Mr^ Perceval's resolution, 
purporting, that there were grounds to charge 
his Royal Highness with a knowledge of cor- 
rupt practices, with connivance at them, and 
<:onsequently with corruption. 

For this amendment - - - - 1^5 
Against it _._--- 334 



Majority 199 



i54 LiF^ AKD Administration of 

The next vote was for Mr. Perceval's ori- 
ginal motion, 

For it --.--.„. 278 
Against it - - 196 



Majority 82 
The farther discussion of the question was 
adjourned to the 20th, and in the interim the 
Duke of York resigned his command. The 
resignation was communicated to the House 
by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in 
which he stated the Duke's very unfounded 
opinion, that he was acquitted from all corrupt 
motives, and all participation or connivance 
at corruption, but tliat he gave way to the 
public opinion, dra\vn on him by the charges, 
how^ever ill founded. Upon this Mr. Bathurst 
proposed this resolution— that while the 
House acknowledges the beneficial effects 
of the Duke's services, they had observed, 
with the deepest regret, that in consequence 
of a connection, most immoral and unbe- 
coming, a pernicious and corrupt influence 
had been used m respect to military pro- 
motions, and such as gave colour to the 
various reports, respecting the knowledge of 
the commander-in-chief, of these transactions. 
Sir W. Curtis seconded the motion. Lord 



THE RIGHT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 155 

Althorpe proposed, instead of it, that as the 
Duke had resigned, no farther proceedings 
should be now adopted against him. On 
this an amendment was proposed, that the 
word now should be left out, when the House 
divided, there being 

For its insertion 112 

Against it 235 



Majority - 123 
Thus ended these proceedings, as far as 
the Duke was concerned, the enquiry having 
produced far more tlian its proposers expect- 
ed; and the ministers and the Duke were 
completely defeated. 

Soon after this Lord Castlereagh was con- 
victed of a fact by his own evidence, " of 
which, though no one acquainted with the 
world had the least doubt; yet the proofs 
had never before been exposed in so convinc- 
ing a manner to public inspection." 

The motion brought forward with this 
view, by Lord A. Hamilton, concluded by 
proposing the following resolutions. 

" First, that it appears to this House, from the 
evidence on the table, that Lord Viscount Castle- 
reagh, in the year 1805, he having just quitted the 



156 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

office of President of the Board of Controul, and 
being then a Privy Counsellor and Secretary of 
State, did place at the disposal of the Earl of Clan- 
carty, a member of the said Board, the nomination 
of a writership to India, for the purpose of thereby 
procuring the said Earl Clancarty a seat in this 
honourable House. 

" Secondly, That it was owing to a disagreement 
among other subordinate parties to the transaction, 
that this corrupt negociation did not take effect. 

" Thirdly, That Lord Viscount Castlereagh has 
been, by the same conduct, guilty of a violation of 
his duty, of an abuse of his influence and authority, 
as President of the Board of Controul, and also of 
an attack upon the purity and constitution of this 
House." 

In his Lordship's defence he admitted of 
the main facts, but pleading unintentional 
error*, he said he looked back with great per- 
sonal regret at his having any connection 
with Reding the borough jobber, or traffick- 
ing broker. In fine, Lord Hamilton's mo- 
tion was negatived by 216 noes to 167 ayes. 
Mr. Canning moved an amendment stating, 
" That it is the duty of the house to maintain 
a jealous guard over the purity of election; 
but considering that the attempt of Lord 
Castlereagh to interfere in the election of a 



THE RIGHT HON. S. IPEKCEVAL. 157 

member has not been successful, the House 
does not consider it necessary to enter into 
any criminal proceedings on the sul)ject." 
Tliis amendment \\'as earned, and another 
made by Mr. Wynne negatived, because it 
proposed, " That the House were the niorc: 
confirmed in their opinion ])y the regret ex- 
pressed by Lord Castlereagh for his mis- 
conduct." 

On the second reading of the Bill for pre- 
venting the sale of offices, Lord Foikstone 
openly charged the Treasur}^ \\ ith trafficking 
for boroughs; he said " What he stated was 
matter of public notoriety. It was even un- 
derstood that previous to every election an 
oflicc was opened in the Treasury for the 
purchase of seats in Parliament, \\hich again 
v/ere sold to others of more or less interest 

\d abiiit}-, wlio again, in proportion to their 
possession of these qualities, paid a higher or 
iower price for their seats." Mr. Creevy 
confirmed the statement of the noble Lord, 
and refeired to any one of the right honour- 
iibk: gentlemen o]j])osite to him, wlio had at 
any time filled tlie situation of Secretary of 
the Treasury. Mr. Wluti)read stated, Th.it 

was well kno^vn in that House, and out of 
■ V 



J 58 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

it, that there were members who represented 
nothing but their own money ; that there 
were some who were not even then free 
agents ; but that there was occasionally such 
a thing as conscience in the transaction, which 
forced them to abandon both their seat and 
their money too. If the right honourable 
gentleman really entertained any doubt of 
the purchase and sale of seats in Parliament, 
he had only to turn to his near neighbour, 
Lord Castlereagh^ and learn what they had 
done in Ireland, where one million and a half 
of money had been taken out of the pockets 
of the people to pay for the purchase of bo- 
roughs. It was impossible, he said, for the 
Chancellor of the Exchequer to consider 
ihese circumstances, without feeling that i?i 
one way or other an end must be put to this 
system^ or it xvould put an end to them, Mr. 
Maddock's motion for enquiry into the sale 
of an Irish Borough was negati^^ed, there 
being a majority of 235 in favour of the 
accused Minister ! ! ! 

In the mean whife, as a check to disgiTice at 
home, the Ministry had to boast of the suc- 
cess of their measures in that of our arms 
■abroad — Lisbon, as well as Oporto and the 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PEkCEVAL. 159 

Nortli of Portugal, had been cleared of the 
French, while their Emperor seemed to have 
been checked, at least for a while, by the 
breaking of his bridges on the Danube. 

In June, 1809, m hen Mr. Curwen's Mo- 
lion for a Reforni in Parliament ^Aas dis- 
cussed, Mr. Perce\'al roundly asserted, " That 
he saw no rciison for any reform, and that 
the people were more united against reform 
than upon any other question, because they 
thought it unnecessary. He denied that tu- 
mult or bribery would be lessened." He 
would not allow that the House had thought 
any reform necessary, and it would raise the 
plan into too much importance to give it a 
moment's farther consideration. On a divi- 
sion of the House the majority against reform 
was 59 against 15. 

It was the fate of Mr. Perceval's friends 
to render themselves in a great measure ridi- 
culous, by their dissension, particularly in 
the duel between Lord Castiereagh and Mr. 
Canning, Mliom the former e\'idently caught 
tripping in a little political duplicity, " total- 
ly contrar}' to tlie old principles of English 
honour." 

Soon after tlnis, :IiC illness of tlic 



160 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

iJ like of Portland compelled him to resign, 
■md the two duellists, diough not struck out 
of the list of the Privy Council, felt it most 
clccoroiis to \vithdraw. At this period the 
'\hole management of the public aflairs rested 
with the two law} ers, Mr. Perceval and Lord 
Eldon. To strengthen themselves, the first 
tiring they did was to send letters by express 
ip Lord Grenville in Cornwall, and Lord Grey 
in Northumberland, requesting them to assist 
hi ihe new Ministry, which the resignations 
of Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Canning had 
made necessary : Lord Grenville came to 
(own, but Lord Grey contented himself with 
•' t'li ?:i i!:^ a very spirited reply, "that he 
would not condescend to act in concert with 
nieB, whose measures he conceived to be 
fraught with mischief to the kingdom." Lord 
Grenville firxliug- he could have no personal 
5 vess to the King, declined any farther dis- 
^"Ucision. Thus disconcerted, however, Mr. 
Perceval became First Lord of the Treasury ; 
-and the public attention w^as once more di- 
verted b}' the measures taken for the cele- 
bration of the Jubilee, in commemoration of 
the fiftieth year of his Majesty's reign ; 
which, with the liberty granted to the dis- 



THE' RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 161 

lurbers of the performances at Covent Gar- 
den, during the winter of 1809, commonly 
called the O. P.'s, from their advocating the 
continuance of the old playhouse prices, 
might have given strangers a wonderful idea 
of the happiness and liberty of the people of 
England. In the meanwhile, the gallantry 
■n our troops, and the skill of their com- 
mander, as exhibited at Talavera, added np 
small triumph to the advocates for the war 
'*i the peninsula of Spain. 

The speech which opened the session of 
January, 1810, regretted the unavailing efforts 
of the Emperor of Austria against the ambi- 
tion and violence of France, and stated, that 
though die Vvar was undertaken by that mo- 
narch without encouragement on the part of 
his Majesty, every effort was made for the 
assistance of Austria consistent with the sup- 
port of Ills Majesty's allies, and the v/clfare 
and interest of his own dominions. 

The principal ends of the expedition to the 
Scheldt were admitted as not liaving been 
obtained; but the trade and revenue of tlic 
country were represented as being highly 
satisfactory. 

The prosecutions entered against Mr, 



162 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

Perry of the Morning Chronicle, and Mr. 
Gale Jones, for libels, did no honour to the 
liberality of government in the year 1810. 

Two subjects of union in foreign countries 
this year caused some people to be very much 
disunited at home: the first was the mar- 
riage of the French Emperor with the Prin- 
cess Louisa, Archduchess of Austria, and the 
second the preliminary steps for the annexa- 
tion of Holland to France. In consequence 
of this design, tlie French Emperor made 
offers of peace, the acceptance of which 
would have induced him to suffer Holland 
to have remained separate from France ; but 
these offers ^vere such as Mr. Perceval and 
his co-administrators could not accept ! 

About this time, how^ever, a circumstance 
occurred in this country, relative to whidi it 
was then remarked, ** that all thoughts oi 
foreign powers had been absca'bed at home 
by a more powerful consideration," — by the 
grand point at issue between the House of 
Commons and the People of England. The 
House of Commons chiim privileges — the 
people contend for their rights. The great 
champion for the latter is Sir Francis Bur- 
dett, and he has acted in such a manner as to 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 163 

bring down upon himself the furious ven- 
geance of the parties who are battling to 
obtain or to preserve their places. A curious 
circumstance has occurred in consequence of 
;l debate at a speaking club, and which first 
arose from Mr. Yorke's enforcing the order for 
excluding the public from the gallery of the 
House of Commons; this was seized as a 
subject of debate; and the question proposed 
was, whether k was a greater outrage on the 
public feelings, than the speech of another 
member on die liberty of the press? Mr. 
Yorke called it a breach of privilege, and 
quoted, most perversely and entirely contrary 
to its obvious and designed meaning, a clause 
in the Bill of Rights, allowing to members 
of parliament freedom of speech without lia- 
bility of being impeached or questioned for 
his conduct in any court whatsoever. Mr. 
Gale Jones, the author of the question, was 
summoned before the House, where he ac- 
knowledged the flict of writing the paper in 
question, but expressed his contrition at 
having offended the House. Not content 
with the humble apology thus made, Mr. 
Yorke, professing sovereign contempt for 



164 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION Oi 

the opinions in the paper, and the medium of 
discussion, moved that the author should be 
sent to Newgate; to which, without "a dis- 
sentient voice, the House agreed. 

Sir Francis Burdett was not in the House 
at the time, but he soon after recalled its at- 
tention to these violent proceedings, by mov- 
ing, after a very admirable speech, proving 
that the House had gone beyond its pow^erSj 
that Mr. Gale Jones be discharged. The 
success he met wdth was exactly what might 
be expected : fourteen voted on his side, and 
a hundred and thirty were against him. Soon 
after. Sir F. Burdett, in an admirable letter to 
his constituents, stated the whole law on this 
question to them, and left no shadow of doubt 
in the minds of all constitutional men, that 
he was perfectly right in his argument. This 
letter, a Mr. Lethbridge, the member for So- 
mersetshire, called a libel upon the House, 
and read several passages with which he was 
exceedingly oifended; such as these — Whe- 
ther our liberty should lie at the absolute 
mercy of a part of our fellow- subjects, col- 
lected together by means which it is not ne- 
cessary to describe ? — If they have the abso- 
lute power of imprisoning and releasing, why 



niE RIGHT HON. S. PEXiCEVAL. 165 

may they not send their prisoners to York 
jail, as well as to a jail in London? 

The discussion of the question was defer- 
red, notwithstanding every effort of the mi- 
nister, for a week, when the resolutions of 
Mr. Lethbridge, that Sir F. Burdett's letter 
was a libel on the House, and that he was 
guilty of a violation of its privileges, were 
read, and an animated debate took place, 
when Sir S. Romilly distinguished himself, 
by not allowing the publication to be a libel, 
or to intrench upon the privileges of the 
House. In doing this, he referred to the 
original cause of the whole, namely, the com- 
mitment of Mr. Gale Jones ; and gave strong 
and convincing reasons for doubting the le- 
gality of the right of the House to commit 
for libels. — Mr. Perceval, on the contrary, 
was for punishing, what he called one of the 
grossest attacks ever made upon tiie cha- 
racter and privileges of the House. — Gene- 
ral Mathew expressed a sentiment much 
more congenial with the feelings of the 
country, as he declared his entire coinci- 
dence, not only in every expression in the 
publication complained of, but in the whole 
political conduct of Sir F. Burdett; ancj 



166 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

in one point he most particularly concurred 
with him, namely, that the House had not a 
leg to stand on. — The question was carried 
that Sir F. Burdett was guilty of a libel; 
and then Sir Robert Salisbury made his 
name known, and it will hereafter be dis- 
tinguished by his moving that Sir F. Burdett 
be committed to the Tower. In this vote con- 
curred one hundred and eighty-nine persons, 
and against it one hundred and fifty -two. — 
The Speaker soon after signed the warrant for 
commitment, and most extraordinary scenes 
were the consequence. 

The vote of the House was soon spread 
abroad in the metropolis, tod consternation 
and indignation filled the minds of all. Look- 
ing on Sir F. Burdett as a man of high ho- 
Jiour and integrity, as having advanced no- 
thing but what was founded on the law, and 
knowing that, by the truths in Iiis speeches, 
he had excited the utmost envy and jealousy, 
and every malignant passion in the breasts of 
the borough-mongers, they looked up to him 
as the martyr of political liberty. His own 
constituents were particularly hurt on this 
occasion; a requisition was prepared, and 
the signature of many hundi'eds affixed before 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 167 

noon of the Friday, for a meeting to take the 
proceedings of the House into consideration, 
Nufnbers went to the House of the Baronet, 
and all were in expectation that he would be 
seized that day. The Baronet was at Wim- 
bledon when the vote passed, and came to 
town on horseback at his usual time in the 
morning, \A'here he found a letter from the 
Serjeant, to which he replied, b}^ appointing 
the next day, between eleven and twelve, for 
an interview. The Serjeant, however, came 
in person between five and six in the after- 
noon, when he sav.- Sir Francis, who told 
him that he would not obey the warrant, but 
resist force by force. The Serjeant, not hav- 
ing force enough with him, prudently re- 
tired, and informed the Speaker of the House 
of Commons, who seemed to be as much at 
a loss as the Serjeant, and the night passed 
without any seizure : but not without several 
outrages committed on the houses of persons 
who had made themselves obnoxious by the 
parts they had taken in the late proceedings. 

The next day passed without a seizure ; 
for it afterwards appeared, tiiat the Serjeant 
was completely puzzled with his ^var^ant, as 
was tlie Privy Council, which had a long de- 



168 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

bate on the subject, and much more so tht 
Attorney General, who gave an opinion that 
made every thing more doubtful than before. 
At one o'clock, however, on the Saturday, a 
very strong detachment of the guards 
marched to Sir F. Burdett's house, and com- 
pletely occupied the ground before it ; upon 
which he wrote to the Sheriff, who came, and 
removed the guards, who took stations to the 
east and w^est of the house, leaving the whole 
space before the house free. The house 
fronts the Green Park, and there strong de- 
tachments of the foot 2;uards were placed, 
and troops and artillery were marched from 
all quarters into town. It is supposed that, 
w^ith the volunteers, the armed force put in 
motion upon this occasion, libout doubled the 
number employed in the Walcheren Expe- 
dition. Sunday passed without a seizure ; 
but on Monday morning the whole space be- 
fore Sir F. Burdett's house was again occu- 
pied by the military, who extended them- 
selves both v/ays to a great distance in Pic- 
cadilly, so that at ten o'clock there was no 
passage ; and about that hour a gang of 
Bow Street runners and House of Commons' 
officers ,got into the area, broke open the 



THE IHGHT HON. S. PEKCEVAL. 1^9 

house, rushed up stairs, opened die hall door, 
and let in the military ; so that, to Sir F. Bur- 
dett's apartment, the whole space was occu- 
pied by an armed force. The Sergeant, with 
his warrant, entered the room whem Sir 
Francis was sitting with his lady, brodier, 
and children, and on his refusal to obey the 
warrant, a great number closed round him, 
whilst he called in vain in die Kind's name 
for protection ; they hurried him down the 
stairs, through the hall, into a hackney 
coach, when, preceded and followed by a 
large body of troops, he was conveyed to the 
Tower. Multitudes had got to Tower Hill 
before them, and when the carriage was seen, 
the shouts of " Burdett for ever!" rent the 
skies. After the usual ceremonies, Sir 
Francis was received by the governor at the 
gate, and conducted to the apcirtments pre- 
pared for him, being two rooms up two pair 
of stairs, in a small house on the parade. 

A dreadful scene now took place in the 
neighbourhood of the Tower. The military 
fired in several quarters upon the multitude ; 
wounded a great number, and some have died 
of their wounds. Three coroner's incjuests 
have already been taken : one was declared 



170 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

to be justifiable homicide, one wilful murder 
against a soldier in the Life Guards, and one 
murder against a soldier in the Life Guards, 
but this last murder was perpetrated in the 
liberties of Westminster. There can be no 
doubt but that the military received some 
slight provocation, both in Westminster and 
in the city : but the question must occur to 
every one, what business had they in either 
place ? 

The account of these proceedings was 
laid before the House of Commons in the 
evening, w^hen the Sergeant was examined as 
to the leading facts ; the meeting of the 
Privy Council was establislied, the names of 
the persons attending it recorded, the con- 
sulting of the Attorney General made known, 
and his opinion was read. The whole was 
ordered to be printed for the use of the mem- 
bers. Sir Francis's letter to the Speaker 
was read, in which he persisted in denying 
the legality of the Speaker's wan-ant ; but it 
was referred for consideration to the next 
night, when, after some debate, the House 
very prudently determined not to enter into 
any resolution upon it. Every thing w^s quiet 
in the metropolis, and it was evident that the 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 171 

civil power \vi\s perfectly competent to have 
preserved the peace of tlie city. 

The commitment of Gale Jones wvls the 
original ground of the whole disturbance ; 
and Sir Samuel Romilly, agi^eeably to a no- 
tice he had previously given, moved for his 
discharge ; but that he might not irritate the 
feelings of the House, did not enter into the 
legality of the commitment, but argued in 
favour of his motion, on the ground that the 
prisoner had suffered a punishment more than 
adequate to his supposed offence. In this 
opinion he was ably supported ; but a formi- 
dable obstacle presented itself, of which the 
ChcUicellor of the Exchequer eagerly availed 
himself, namely, that the custom of the 
House required a petition from the prisoner 
for a release, with an expression of sorrow 
for his offence, and Mr. Gale Jones had not 
presented a petition. To this it was ob- 
served, that he had already made ample apo- 
logy, and how could he know, as that apo- 
logy had not been taken, what other he could 
possibly use ? But Sir Samuel Romilly stated 
his own opinion very properly on the subject, 
that he would sooner rot in a jail than peti- 
tioji, or make another apology. The majo- 



1 72 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION Ot 

v'lty, however, did not concur with him, and 
Mr. Gale Jones remained a prisoner till the 
prorogation of Parliament. 

On the day after this debate was the meet- 
ing of the city of Westminster, when it was 
supposed that upwards of twenty thousand 
persons were assembled in the Palace Yard, 
who conducted themselves with the utmost 
regularity. Motions were made and seconded 
by two most respectable householders, in 
large lines of business, who, in their speeches, 
gave a succinct account of the late proceed- 
tng3 and the grounds on which their motions 
were founded. These resolutions passed una- 
nimously, not a single dissentient voice was 
heard, nor an opposing hand raised. The 
whole assembly felt and concuiTed in every 
expression. The tenor of them was an en- 
tire approbation of Sir F. Burdett's con- 
duct ; the agreement to a petition to the 
House of Commons, and to a letter to be 
sent to their beloved representative. The 
petition stated how sensibly the City felt 
the indignation oftered to it in the person of 
their representative, for a letter which ought 
to have induced the House to reconsider the 
subject of commitment, in which they 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 173 

were, in tlieir own cause, prosecutor, judge, 
jury, and executioner. It called for the re- 
lease of their representative, and adjured the 
House to endeavour with him to reform the 
representation, whose necessity was pointed 
out by the conduct of Lord Castlereagh and 
Mr. Perceval, in jobbing for seats, and by the 
acknowledgment of practices at which the 
Speaker said our ancestors would startle with 
hon^or and indignation. The letter to Sir F. 
Burdett expressed their affection and attach- 
ment to him, and their approbation of his 
conduct in strong and animated terms. 

Lord Cochrane presented the petition in 
the afternoon to the house, when some mem- 
bers \^'ere very indignant at its being styled 
also a remonstrance ; they Avere offended also 
at the commitment of Sir Francis being 
termed an indignity to the city; they felt 
most poignantly the bitter truths conveyed 
on the jobbing for seats in Parliament ; and 
they were very eager tliat the petition should 
not be received. Others more prudently ex- 
amined the petition clause by clause, and in 
vain looked for the means of rejecting it ; and 
it was observed by Mr. Canning, that how- 
ex er distressing the petitioa miglit be to the 
o'2 



174 LITE AND ADMINISTRATION C^F 

feelings of the house, it would be l^ettef to 
let it rest on the table, as the rejection of k 
would only be the iiieans of occasioning 
another meeting, and another petition, in 
which the same propositions would be con- 
veyed in still more offensive terms. At 
last the petition was permitted to be laid 
on the table. 

The letter to Sir F. Burdett was present- 
ed to him by the High Bailiff, and he return- 
ed to it a most spirited and animated answer, 
in which he urges the absolute necessity of a 
reform in parliament, that the kingdom may 
not be in complete vassalage under borough- 
mongering sovereigns, and groan under the 
curse of Canaan, that of being the slaves of 
slaves. He also sent a letter to the Speaker 
of the House of Commons, in which he in- 
formed him of his intention to bring an action 
against him for his warrant; and this letter 
was read to the House, and ordered to lie on 
the table. 

But the idea of public murders and popu- 
lar insurrections, were soon diverted by a 
most mysterious transaction in St. James's 
palace, in which Seillis, a servant to the 
Duke of Cumberland, was found on his bed 
with his throat cut from ear to ear. The 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 175 

Duke likewise was said to have received 
several wounds in his hands, face, sides, d^c, 
ajid did not appear in public for some time 
after. 

The trial of Mr. Cobbett, in June, 1810, 
lor a libel on the Gerroan Legion, excited a 
great deal of interest. Some of the Cam- 
bridgeshire militia, it seems, having been 
mutinous, were flogged by these foreigners. 
Mr. Cobbett was found guilty of libelling 
them, and sentenced to two years' imprison- 
ment in Newgate, and to pay a lai'ge fine. 

The liberation of Sir Francis Burdett from 
the Tower, in June, 1810, was an event of 
too great importance to be passed over with- 
out due preparation. His constituents in 
Westminster took the lead on this occasion, 
and proposed that he should be carried back 
from the Tower in solemn parade, the pro- 
cession being formed in a very diiferent man- 
ner from that which conveyed him into con- 
finement. Every thing was arranged for this 
purpose, and the breaking up of parliament 
was expected with the utmost impatience. 
With the King's speech ceased the power of 
the House of Commons over Sir Francis ; 
but on the prorogation being made known 



176 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

to him by the governor, Sir Francis Burdett 
left the Tower quite privately, going down 
the water a little distance, and then taking 
his horse for Wimbledon. A very great as- 
semblage of people was collected on Tower- 
Hill, with the view cf seeing the procession, 
Avhich went through the streets with banners 
and appropriate mottoes : but great disap- 
pointment was excited at the hero of the day 
not being there. The people, however, were 
pleased at the liberation of their great friend, 
and gave him credit for the motives that led 
him to privacy instead of an ostentatious ap- 
pearance of triumph. In the evening an il-' 
lumination, to a very considerable extent, 
took place. It \\'as a satisfaction to all re- 
flecting minds, that the peace of the metro- 
polis was not, on this occasion, at all dis- 
turbed, and the people showed, that they 
could hold to the laws, and that no military 
force was wanting, as in many countries, to 
preserve public order. 

The painful task of announcing the cap- 
ture of Almeida by the enem}% in the month 
of August, 1810, was soon effaced by the 
battle of Busaco, in which Lord Welling- 
ton's defeat of the enemy was complete, and 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 177 

his loss comparatively trifling. The capture 
of the islands of Bourbon and Amboyna, 
which transpired soon after, was of a de- 
scription to raise the spirits of the nation. 

But in November, 1810, the malady which 
had fixed upon his Majesty early in October, 
could no longer be concealed. After the un- 
welcome intelligence had been announced, 
preparations were made for issuing daily 
bulletins at St. James's and the Mansion 
House. From these, though nothing satis- 
factory, or explicit, could possibly be ob- 
tained, it was impossible the public could 
long remain ignorant of the nature of the 
King's complaint, for time produced the de- 
velopement of the whole mystery. 

With this state of his Majesty's mind the 
ministers must be presumed to haye been ac- 
quainted long before it was laid before the 
public ; and it might have justified them in 
proceeding to remedy the defect in the regal 
authority without any delay. The question 
naturally recurs, in what manner, and by 
whom it is to be remedied ? A regency was 
obviously necessary ; in wliom is this to be 
confided ? The public would naturally look 
up to the Prince of Wales upon such an oc- 



178 LIFE AND ADMINISTKATION OF 

casion ; and it seemed to be the general opi- 
nion, both in and out of doors, that an appli- 
cation should be made to him to take upon 
himself this office. An interview, it was 
said, had been requested by the Minister, 
but this was declined by the Prince ; and the 
purport of it was conveyed in a letter, of 
which the papers gave with confidence the 
substance, and added, that the princes of the 
blood had united in a remonstrance against 
his Royal Highness being fettered by any 
conditions on coming into the office. To 
this the- jninisters made a respectful reply, 
urging their duty to the crown, which caused 
them to see things in a different light; and 
in fact, if the occurrences took place as re- 
presented, there seems nothing preposterous 
in the proceeding. The interference of the 
princes was not called for, nor could they 
claim any peculiar privilege on this occasion 
above that of any other subject. The Prince 
declined witli great dignity to make any re- 
ply as to the main question, till the propo- 
sition came fairly before him from the two 
Houses. 

A difference of opinion prevailed in the 
Houses on the mode of filling up the va- 



THE RIGHT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 179 

cancy, whether by bill or by address, but it 
was determined to be by bill, and to follow 
as much as possible the precedent of 1788. 
The whole of this proceeding depends on a 
fiction. It supposes, that an act of the two 
Houses, sanctioned by the king's seal, af- 
fixed by a person acting under their autho- 
rity, shall have the weight of an act of par- 
liament. 

The Minister, in one of his vaunting 
speeches, suggested that no inconvenience 
would follow from the adjournments, or the 
delay in filling up the vacancy, as in the 
case of issues of money or execution of or- 
ders, what inferior officer would dare to dis- 
obey the orders of the cabinet? But this 
high language in the end did not prove so 
decisive as was expected ; for in a very im- 
portant point the cabinet found itself mis- 
taken, and England was seen to contain an 
inferior officer, who knew his duty, and would 
be guided by his oath, and not by the opi- 
nions of others, on what it might be their 
interest to exact. A large sum of money 
was wanted for the public service, and this 
is drawn by proper checks, countersigned by 
diffisrent officers, and whose duty it is to fol- 



180 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

low the rules prescribed in a matter of so 
great importance. The King's seal was na- 
turally wanting ; and wlien the order came, 
its informality was evident; and Mr. Lar- 
pent, with true honour and the old English 
spirit, refused to let it pass in this improper 
manner through his department, nor could 
Lord Grenville, as auditor, suffer the issue 
without decisive authority upon the subject. 
In consequence of this resistance, the Mi- 
nister was obliged to come to the two 
Houses for their assistance, and a vote was 
passed by them to take off the scruples in 
the officers. 

On the meetmg of the Houses on the 30th 
November, a report of the physicians on the 
state of the King's health was brought up 
in both Houses, and in the lower House the 
Chancellor of the Exchequer, in hopes of the 
King's amendment, moved for the further 
adjournment of a fortnight, and if none ap- 
peared, that then the Houses should proceed 
to fill up the chasm in the royal authority. 
This was opposed by Mr. Whitbread on ttie 
ground of the impropriety of delay, but jus- 
tified by Mr. Yorke. Mr. Ponsonby went 
more at large into the grounds of opposition, 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PEItCfcVAL. 181 

declaring his intention of dividin,^ the House 
upon it, and moving for a committee to ex- 
amine the physicians." — Sir F. Burdett re- 
probated in very apt terms tlie pretended dc 
licacy of many gentlemen, who forget that 
delicacy must give way in great affairs of 
moment. — Mr. Wilberforce declared, that 
after balancing the matter in his mind for a 
considerable time, he could see no harm in 
the adjournment, and should therefore vote 
for it. Some other members spoke, and on 
a division, there appeared for it two hundred 
and thirty-three, and against it one hundred 
and twenty-nine. In the House of Lords a 
similar adjournment was moved and cairied. 
Lord Grenville winded up a speech against 
it with a school-boy quotation, but the Duke 
of Sussex made a deep impression on the 
House by the reasons which he gave for re- 
sisting the adjournment, namely, that it was 
more consistent with the constitution to ad- 
journ only from day to day ; and secondly, 
because he wished to ascertain in whose care 
the King was to be placed, and that in case 
of recovery the royal authority might be re- 
stored to him pure and unimpaired. 

On the 13th of December the Houses met 

R 



182 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

again, and in the House of Lords it was 
agreed that a committee should be appointed, 
and in the House of Commons one was fixed 
on to examine the physicians, after which it 
adjourned to the 17th, when a very volumi- 
nous report was brought up and ordered to 
be printed. The Chancellor of the Exche- 
quer gave an outline of his plan for filling 
up the chasm in the regal branch, and 
mo\^ed a call of the House to take it into 
consideration on the 20th. The examina- 
tion of the physicians pointed out the species 
of insanity under which his Majesty laboured, 
held out hopes of recovery, but could not 
ascertain its early removal. Above all, it 
brought to light various periods in which 
his Majesty had been in similar situations, 
and matter sulficient for very serious investi- 
gation, and due regulation of those persons 
who are supposed, when they issue orders by 
the King's authority and with his signature., 
to have received them from him. At the 
meeting of the House the Chancellor of the 
Exchequer brought forward three proposi- 
tions : the first, declaring the incapacity of 
tlie King to perform the royal fimctions ; the 
second asserting the right of the House to 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAU 183 

supply die defect ; and the third pointing- 
out the necessity of devising some means 
that the royal assent should be given to a 
bill on the exercise of the ' royal authority 
during the King's indisposition. On each 
of these he dilated at considerable length, 
making the proceedings of 1*788 his prece- 
dent, according to which, the Prince of 
Wales was to be regent under certain re- 
strictions, and the Queen to ha\'c the care 
of the King's person. 

On the second resolution being put fiom 
the chair, Sir F. Burdett declared, that 
he could not assent to it, as it spoke of the 
Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons 
of the United Kingdoms, lawfully, fully, 
and freely representing all the estates of this 
realm. This was contrary to truth, and it 
was notorious that instances of corruption 
had been proved of that House, in which a 
hundred and fifty peers had great influence 
in the election of its members. In 1688^ 
the City of London, the respectable gentry 
throughout the count r}^, who had sat in par- 
liament, were called in a convention parlia- 
ment to settle the great interests of the na- 
tion : now a house, of which he gave some 



184 LIFE AND ADMINISTEATION Oi 

strong features, summing up its titles in tlit • 
name of the Walcheren Parliament, without 
any appeal to the people, their constituents, 
usurped power for themselves. On the sub- 
ject of the King's illness it appeared, that 
the people had been deceived, and that mi- 
nisters had dared to carry on the government 
while the executive was incapacitated. He 
should therefore enter his solemn protest 
against the whole of the proceedings, as 
miserable shams and pretences, as aiming a 
mortal stab at the constitution of the coun- 
try, and making an oligarchical House of 
Commons, varnished over with forms to go- 
vern the country. The second resolution 
was then read, and passed, with the dissent 
of Sir Francis, but without a division. 

On the third resolution being put, Mr. 
Ponsonby objected to it, denying the right of 
the Houses to command the Chancellor to 
apply the King's seal to an act, and then 
to consider it as liaving the royal sanction. 
They were agreed as to the person of the 
Regent, but differed on the mode, to which 
he objected more than to the limitations; 
and he m.oved, that an address be presented 
ta his Royal Highness, praying him to takfs 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 185 

the royal functions upon him during the 
King's illness. — Mr. Canning preferred the 
precedents of 1788 to those of the restoration 
and revolution, and spoke in ridicule of Sir 
Francis Burdett, as he wished to call in the 
assistance of the Lord Mayor and Common 
Council to settle the regency. — Lord Temple 
followed the same course as Lord Joselyn; 
but Mr. Adam strenuously resisted it. — Sir 
Samuel Romilly considered the resolutions 
as inconsistent with each other. In one, the 
right of the Lords and Commons to fill up 
the vacancy is asserted, and yet that vacancy 
being acknowledged, the royal assent to a 
bill was to be procured, to which his Majesty 
could give no assent. The will of the Lords 
and Commons can in no wise be construed 
into the King's will, nor can they by any 
means legislate for the nation. As well might 
a set of men in common life make a contract 
for a man under insanity, then employ a person 
as his solicitor to affix his seal and signature 
to the deed. In fact, the personal presence 
of the King, or of a commission signed by 
him, was essential to every act of legislation, 
and if the Houses could dispense with this 
in one case they might in others; they 
R 2 



186 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

might make war, or peace, or any thing 
else, and say such was the Kmg's pleasure. 
This mode of legislation was fraudulent, and 
inconsistent with that open and manly cha- 
racter which ought to characterise every act 
of the legislature. — -Mr. XVhitbread spoke 
\vith great animation in favour of the proceed- 
ing by address, which the House rejected, 
there being for it 157, against it 269. 

On tlie next day the report of the com- 
mittee v/as brought up ; and, on the second 
resolution being read. Lord W. Russell ob- 
jected to it as unnecessary, and to the calling 
on the House to vote abstract propositions. 
He therefore moved the previous question, 
in which he was supported by Sir Francis 
Burdett, who said, that it became the pro- 
posers of the resolution to shew in what its 
necessity consisted. Necessity implies the 
^vant of an alternative, but here there was 
an alternative. He agreed also with the 
noble lord in condemning abstract proposi^ 
tions, as the introduction of them tended 
only to fill the journals with a chaos of in- 
consistencies. The way of duty in the pre- 
sent case is clear and plain. In addressing 
thp Prince we do not usurp a disputed 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 187 

power, but exercise our undoubted right : 
we adhere to the sound principles of the 
constitution, by keeping within the sphere 
of our own rights and duties. A gentle*- 
man had been facetious in his remarks on 
the corporation of London, and the recovery 
of his powers of pleasantry might be accept- 
able to the house. The gloom, occasioned 
by the deaths at Walcherence, • might well 
have restrained him ; for the miseries of that 
disgraceful expedition, in which he had 
been convicted as having acted with a col- 
league whom he had denounced as unfit 
and inefficient, were enough to suspend his 
drolleries, especially as he must reflect that 
there never was a minister in this country 
so much deserved impeachment. But this 
gentleman might have recollected, that the 
corporation of London was an important 
body in our history ; and it little became 
him to despise the city of London, who had 
not thought it beneath his dignity to meet 
at a city tavern a set of jobbers and con- 
tractors, whom he entertained with speeches 
on affairs of state. A learned gentleman 
seemed to argue, that there was a law beyond 
the law, a constitutional something, to be 



188 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

found only in the practice of parliament : to 
this he could not assent ; he could take law 
as it was found only in the acts of the legis- 
lature, not in the practice of different parts 
of it. A constitution means nothing but 
certain things established, and to talk of 
a law beyond the law was to talk of things 
in the air. To the assertion then in the re- 
solution he objected, as assuming a right not 
belonging to them, and to the proceeding 
upon it as making the House part of the 
crown, and thus violating the first principle of 
the constitution. — Mr. Lamb contended that 
the House had the right of supplying the de- 
fect, and cited the proceedings of the Long 
Parliament. He allowed the defects in the 
representation ; but though they were not 
removed, the House was the legal repre- 
sentation. But the house could not make 
itself the King to assent to its own act, and 
he should therefore oppose the bill as illegal. 
— Mr. Stephen contended that the proceed- 
ings in 1788 ought to be viewed as a com- 
plete precedent, and he concluded with so 
fulsome a panegyric on the Sovereign for 
fifty years of virtues, as required no com- 
ment from any other speaker. — Mr. Wynne 



THE RIGHT HON. S, PERCEVAL. 189 

observed that if the Houses could, at tliis 
time, by their own power, declare the royal 
prerogative suspended, then pass an act to 
render their own legislative powers complete, 
they may do so at any other time when tlie 
King is in perfect health. — Mr. Wilberforce 
said that the high character of the Prince of 
Wales was no reason for investing him with 
unlimited power. His present conduct did 
him eternal honour, as he looked like a good 
subject of the realm to parliament to provide 
for the deficiency. 

Mr. Grattan asserted the plan of ministers 
to be repugnant to the constitution in two 
ways, first, as assuming an executive autho- 
rity on the part of the two houses, and again, 
as it went to legislate without the royal assent. 
The proceedings of 1788 were no precedent, 
as they had not passed into an act. Sir 
John Newport was surprised, that Mr. Ste- 
phen, representing an Irish borough, had 
not condescended, in his love for the prece- 
dent of 1788 — 9, to look to the conduct of 
the Irish parliament, which was more simple, 
avoiding all fiction and fallacy, and pre- 
venting unnecessary delay. Including a 
recess of four days, nine days only elapsed 



190 LIFE AND APMINISTEATION OF 

between the message of the Lord Lieutenant 
and the adoption of an address to the Prince. 
— Mr. Elliot asked, what power the House 
had of punishing the Chancellor if he should 
refuse the seal to this monstrous act. — Mr. 
Perceval replied at length, asserting that he 
would not defer doing that, which the in- 
terest of the country might require, though 
such acts might belong to the executive pow- 
er, and even require the sign manual. He 
would not risk a mutiny in the army or 
navy for want of money, because the letter 
of the law could not be complied with. 
Would the officers of the Exchequer refuse 
the order of the Treasury ? They could not 
refuse compliance, though they might protest 
against the authority ; and he would act 
upon his own responsibility, regardless of 
the result. — Mr. Whitbread asked whether 
it was to be endured, that a Chancellor of 
the Exchequer should invest himself with 
powers subversive of every constitutional 
principle ? should assume the controul over 
the public purse, apply the public money 
when and how he thought proper, and on 
a pretended responsibility, trample upon 
that throne which he is sworn to support, 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 191 

and which he is, by his very actions, now 
crumbling into the dust. The day of en- 
quiry may come, and the tone of this night 
will call on every one to examine past actions 
with a scrutinizing eye. — After a few words 
from Mr. Adam and Mr. Perceval, the House 
divided on the previous question, there being 
for it 15, against it 98. 

After long, tedious, and very uninstructive 
debates, it was agreed in both Houses, that 
they should become a regular parliament, 
which was done by a commission formed 
under the great seal, opening the parliament 
by a similar commission, when the King does 
not appear in person. This being done, the 
two houses determined, that the vacuum in 
the royal power should be filled up by bill, 
not by address; and for the purpose of fram- 
ing this bill, certain resolutions were passed 
in the Commons, and carried to the Lords, 
which, after a slight alteration, were returned 
to them, and were meant to be the founda- 
tion of a bill for vesting the royal power, 
with certain limitations, in the Prince of 
Wa-es ; and the care of the Royal Person 
Avith certain privileges in the Queen. 

Previously to the framing of this bill, a 



192 LIFE AN© ADMINISTRATION ^1? 

deputation of Lords and Gommons waited 
on the Prince and the Queen to lay before 
them the resolutions of the two Houses, as 
far as belonged to each, to which a favoura- 
ble answer was given by both. The Prince, 
in a very dignified manner, declared his 
acceptance of the trust confided to him ; and 
at the same time made some delicate allu- 
sions to the manner in which it had been 
conferred. In consequence of this assent, 
the House of Commons went into the dis- 
cussion of the bill produced by mmisters, 
which contained a vast variety of clauses ; of 
which the following is the substance : — 

** The Prince of Wales to exercise the Royal 
Authority, subject to Restrictions. 

" Present Appointments to remain until the Re- 
gent declares 16 the contrary. 

" Upon his Majesty's recovery, and declaratioD 
of his pleasure to resume^his authority, this act to 
cease, and no act done under it afterwards to he 
valid. 

" Any acts, orders, appointments, &c. previous^ 
made or done under it, to remain until counter- 
manded by his Majesty. 

" No act of the Regent to be valid, unless done ~ 
in the name of his Ptlajesty, i^nd according to the 
provisions of the Act. 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 193 

'* Regent to take oath to administer the law ac- 
cording to the Act. 

** Regent to be deemed a person holding an office 
in trust, and to take the oath, and make the decla- 
ration relating to such persons, before the Privy 
Council. 

'* Regent to be restrained from granting Peer- 
ages, or summoning- Heirs -Apparent^ or appointing 
to Titles in abeyance^ until after a given time» 

" Regent to be restrained from granting Offices 
in Reversion, or for longer period than during 
pleasure, except those which are by law granted by 
life, or during good behaviour ; and except pensions 
to Chancellor, Judges, &c. 

** Regent not to be impowered to give the Royal 
Assent to any Bill to repeal any Bill for varying the 
order and course of succession to the Crown. 

"' The Regent to reside in Great Britai?i, and not 
40 marry a Papist. 

*' Care of his Majesty's person, and appointment 
of a suitable part of his Household, to be vested in 
her Majesty. Her Majesty to be assisted by a 
Council. 

" Her Majesty's Council to meet some day in 
April ne.rt., and on the 1st day of every third month 
after, and declare the state of his Majesty's health, 
a copy of which shall be transmitted to the Presi- 
dent of the Privy Council, and published in the 
London Gazette. 



194 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

" Her Majesty's Council may examine the Phy- 
sicians in attendance on oath. 

" Her Majesty's Council to notify his^ Ma- 
jesty's recovery by Instrument sent to the Privy 
Council. 

" The Privy Council to assemble and enter said 
Instrument. 

" After such Instrument his Majesty may, by 
Sign Manual, require the Privy Council to as- 
semble. 

" If his Majesty, by the advice of such Privy 
Council, so assembled, shall signify his pleasure to 
resume the personal exercise of his Royal Authori- 
ty, a Proclamation shall be issued accordingly. 

" Such Proclamation, countersigned by 

of the said Privy Council, together 
with the other proceedings, to be sent to the Lord 
'Mayor, aind the present Act to cease. 

" In case of the death of the Regent, or of her 
Majesty, or of the resumption by the King — Parlia- 
ment, if prorogued, or adjourned, to meet and sit, 
or if dissolved, the Members of the last Parliament 
ao meet and sit again. 

" Parliament so met, not to sit longer than 
months. 

"'In the case of the death of her Majesty, the care 
of his Majesty's person to be vested in her Council." 

At this time it appeared that no alteration 
was to be made in the cabinet, for as soon 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 195 

as every thing was settled for placing the 
reins of government in his hands, the Prince 
announced, in a letter to the Minister, his 
determination not to change the ministry. 
This was very specifically declared to be i 
o\nng solely to the iiTCsistible impulse of 
filial duty and affection, which led him to 
dread, that any act of the Regent might, in 
the smallest degree, have the effect of inter- 
fering with the progress of his Sovereign's 
recovery. In the conclusion he refers to 
the embarrassing situation in which he was 
placed, which he could not reconcile to the 
genuine principles of the British constitution. 
Mr. Perceval, in a very awkward manner, 
expressed the readiness of himself and col- 
leagues to do every thing in their power to 
give satisfaction to your Royal Highness, 
your being used for his throughout the 
whole of the answer, regretting at the same 
time the difference of opinion on the subject 
of the restrictions. 

One of the first acts almost of the Regent, 
after his being sworn-in in due form before 
the privy council, was to receive the address 
of the Lord Mayor and Common Council of 
London upon the occasion ; and as he on 



196 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

the same dav held a council, all the ministers 
of state were present, when it was read in a 
very solemn manner. The address was 
partly condolence, and partly congratulation, 
accompanied with those truths unwelcome to 
the ears of ministers, in which a great ma- 
jority of the nation heartily concur. Among 
the grievances enumerated, was specified, 
^^ the present representation in the Commons 
House of Pai'liament, which was termed a 
ready instrument in the hands of the mini- 
ster for the time being, whether for purposes 
of nullifying the just prerogatives of the 
crown, or of insulting and oppressing the 
people, and a reform in which representa- 
(ion is therefore absolutely necessary for the 
safety of tlie crown, the happiness of the 
people, and the peace and independence of 
the country." 

To this address the Regent returned a 
kind nnd dignified answer, assuring the 
city that he should esteem it the happiest 
moment of his life, when he could resign 
the powers delegated to him into the hands 
of his sovereign ; and that he should always 
listen to the complaints of those who thought 
themselves aggrieved. 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 197 

The parliament was formally opened on 
the twelfth by a speech from the Prince 
Regent, delivered by lords commissioners, 
which contained sentiments of sorrow for 
the calamity which occasioned his Royal 
Highness to make the address, the sense of 
the difficulties of the situation, and his con- 
fidence in the assistance of the people. It 
stated the successes of our arms 'ti\ the east, 
the defence of Sicily, the exertions of our 
troops in Portugal, and for the defence of 
the peninsula. Hopes also were entertained 
of an amicable termination of the difficulties 
between this country and America. The de- 
falcations in the revenue were noticed, and 
confidence expressed in the liberality of the 
Commons for farther supplies. The whole 
concluded with ardent prayers for the restora- 
tion of the King's health. 

A slight debate took place in both Houses, 
and, in tlie House of Lords, the address, as 
usual an echo of the speech, was passed 
unanimously. In the Commons, Mr. Pon- 
sonby, agreeing with the speech, reserved to 
himself the right of exercising his judgment 
on the topics contained in it as they should 
arise. — Sir F. Biirdett descanted, with great 
s 2 



198 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

justice, on the long delay that 'had taken 
place, in settling the executive government, 
in which at last they had made a governor 
without entrusting to him the power of 
government. The dissatisfaction of his 
Royal Highness was too evident from his 
not meeting the Houses, and on this topic 
Sir Francis ^vas happy in his allusion to Sir 
John Falstaif and his ragged regiment, 
comparing tlie ministry to the latter, and 
uniting with him all sides of the House in a 
temporary acquiescence in the justice of his 
description. He complained also of the ne- 
glect of the old practice of giving the mem- 
bers of the House an opportunity of know ing 
the subject on which they w^ere to decide, by 
reading the speech the night before at a pri- 
vate meeting. 

In the course of the. month of March a 
statement was made in several of the public 
papers that, from events which succeeded it, 
seems to have been nothing more than a clap 
ti^ap to catch a portion of public applause ; its 
follows. 

*' We are sure that the public will participate in 
the pleasure which we feel in stating the following 
anecdote of the Prince Regent, which has been 



fHE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 199 

communicated to us by a correspondent of known 
respect : — 

" Last week the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
submitted to his Royal Highness a military arrange- 
ment, in consequence of the death of Lord Cardi- 
gan, to which he trusted to be honoured with the 
Prince Regent's approbation. 

" Earl Harcourt to be Governor of Windsor Cas- 
tle, in the room of Earl Cardigan, deceased. 

" Gen. Charles Craufurd to be Governor of the 
Military College, at Marlow, in the room of Earl 
Harcourt. 

" The Prince Regent signified his entire acquies- 
cence in the appointment of Earl Harcourt to Wind- 
sor castle ; he knew it would be perfectly agreeable 
10 his Majesty ; and he had reason to believe that he 
had designed him to be the successor of the Earl of 
Cardigan. 

" The Prince also expressed the high respect 
which he entertained for the talents and services 
of Gen. Craufurd. He had high claims on the 
gratitude of his country ; and the country had not 
been unmindful of his claims. His Royal High- 
ness said, that, to the best of his recollection, Gen. 
Craufurd had a pension of 1200/. a year, on his 
own life and that of the Duchess, his wife. He 
had a regiment of dragoon guards, and he was the 
Lieutenant-Governor of Tynemouth — bringing 
him, altogether, above 3000/. a year ; and, there- 
fore, he must hesitate in adding to these appoint- 



200 LIFiS ANl> ADMINISTRATION OF 

ments, while so many other gallant officers had not 
an equal provision. 

" Mr. Perceval strongly urged the General's high 
merits — and besides, begged leave respectfully to 
state to his Royal Highness, that his claims were 
powerfully seconded by his son-in-law, the Duke of 
Newcastle — whose support in parliament was most 
essential to his Majesty^ s administration ; perhaps 
was of more consequence to them than that of any 
other individual. 

" The Prince Regent, In answer to this argu- 
ment, nciade a declaration to the following purport : 
— ' Sir, I did not expect such a reason to be as- 
signed; but I am not sorry that it is so in an in- 
stance like the present, v/hen it enables me to make 
known my resolution without disparagement to 
the gallant offiicer in question. I repeat that I 
have a high respect for his merits, which have met 
their rewaM ; but I must tell you, once for all, 
that I never can, nor will, consent to bestow any 
place or appointment, meant to be an asylum or 
reward for the toils and services of our gallant 
soldiers and seamen, on any person, on account 
of parliamentary connection, or in return for par- 
liamentary votes. This is my fixed determina- 
tion, and I trust 1 shall never again be solicited 
in the same way.' 

*' The Minister bowed and took his leave." 

The news of the retreat of Massena from 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 201 

Santarem for some time filled the advocates 
for the war with the most eager expecta- 
tions; but these were considerably lessened 
w hen it was understood, that he had eftected 
this masterly movement in such a manner, 
as to prevent the English from obtaining 
any essential advantage over him. Still the 
thanks of both Houses were very properly 
voted to Lord Wellington for his defence of 
Lisbon, and his subsequent conduct with 
respect to Marshal Massena. The battle 
of Albuera, which soon followed, only tend- 
ed to add to our former triumphs, notwith- 
standing it was allowed with respect to th^ 
enemy, that "his overbearing cavalry crip- 
pled all our operations, and with his artillery 
saved his infantry, after its route." 

When the Parliament was prorogued in 
July, the Prince Regent's speech contained 
a short abstract of its proceedings, and a 
very strong compliment to Lord Wellington 
and the Ministers, for so successfully main- 
taining the national interests, and the glory 
of the British name. 

At length the day for the splendid fete, 
which gave delight to some and umbrage 
to others, was appointed for Wednesday, 



202 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

July the 19th. Carlton-house was opened 
about 9 at night, to the numerous persons 
of distinction who had been honoured with 
cards of invitation. Soon after nine o'clock 
the company began to arrive. The illus- 
trious family of the House of Bourbon entered 
through the gardens about ten, when they 
were ushered into the Privy Council Cham- 
ber, where the Prince Regent was sitting 
under a crimson canopy of state, surrounded 
by the officers of his household, who, on their 
approach, immediately rose to receive them. 
The French sovereign was introduced by 
the Earl of Moira as Comte de Lisle, and 
her Royal Highness the Duchess d'Angou- 
leme by the Duchess of York, and the 
French princes by Lord Dundas. They 
were received not only with the utmost 
respect, but every mark of affectionate re- 
gard. From this grand ceremonial the 
Illustrious Strangers retired into the sky- 
blue satin room that adjoined. The Prince 
Regent now passed through into the grand 
saloon, which was most brilliantly illumi- 
nated, and paid respects to the nobility, &:c. 
crowded and assembled, in his most graceful 
and truly fascinating manner. It would be 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PJERCEVAL. 203 

"et difficult task to describe, in terms ade- 
quate, the effect produced by the profusion 
of magnificent objects, which, at ev^ry 
glance, conveyed an exalted idea of national 
grandeur and the fine arts, cherished in a 
state of perfection. The apartments were 
decorated with splendor perfectly new. The 
palace was a scene of enchantment, and 
every elegant female, clad in the attire of 
her native country, appeared the Armida. 
The Conservatory was one of the most dis- 
tinguished objects in the splendid arrange- 
ment. The building, of the Gothic order^ 
appeared to be the most perfect and beauti- 
ful specimen of tliat style executed in mo- 
dem times. Between the pillars candelabras 
were suspended 12 feet above the ground, 
each presented four brilliant patent burners, 
which spread a breadth of light not easy to 
describe. The interior struck the beholder 
widi astonishment. The grand table extend- 
ed the whole length of the Conservatory and 
across Carlton- house, to the length of 200 
feet. 

Along the centre of the table, about six 
inches above the surface, a canal of pure 
water continued flowing from a silver foun- 



^04 LIFE ANi> ADMINISTRATION OF 

tain, beautifully constructed at the head of 
the table. Its faintly waving, artificial banks, 
were covered with green moss and aqua- 
tic flowers ; gold and silver-coloured fish 
were by a mechanical invention made to 
swim and sport through the bubbling cur- 
rait, which produced a pleasing murmur 
where it fell, and formed a cascade at the 
outlet. At the head of the table, above the 
fountain, sat his Royal Highness the Prince 
Regent, on a throne of crimson velvet, 
trimmed with gold. The throne com- 
manded a view of the company. The most 
particular friends of the Prince were ar- 
ranged on each side. At the back of the 
throne appeared Aurolea tables, covered 
with crimson drapery, constructed to ex- 
hibit, with the greatest effect, a profusion 
of the most exquisitely wrought silver gilt 
plate, consisting of fountains, tripods, eper- 
gnes, dishes, and other ornaments. Above the 
whole of this superb display appeared a royal 
thrown, and his Majesty's cypher, G. R. splen- 
didly illumined. 

The supper was the most superb in spec- 
tacle and arrangement that perhaps ever 
was exhibited in this country. The state 



lliE IIIGUT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 205 

tcible of the Prince Regent was ranged along 
the Conservatory, the west end of ^^hich 
(being the head) was hung semi-circularly 
with a crimson silk ground, covered with 
transparent musUn, drawn into a variety ol 
apertures, for the splendid display of nume- 
rous gold vases, urns, massy salvers, Sic. 
embossed by admirable workmanship, and 
the whole surmounted by a most superb 
ancient urn, captured in the reign of IlUzk- 
beth from the Spanish admiral who com- 
manded what was so presumptuously styled 
the " Invincible Armada." The service of 
this table was in gold. Adjoining to this 
were tables running through the library and 
whole lower suite of rooms, the candelabras 
in which were so arranged that the Regent 
could distinctly see and be seen, from one 
end to the other. Along those tables the 
royal family of England, and that of the 
Bourbons and the nobility, were seated, con- 
formably to their respective ranks. On the 
right hand of the Prince Regent was placed 
the Duchess D'Angouleme, oh his left the 
Duchess of York. From the library and 
room be}-ond branched out two great lines of 
tables und^r canvas tar into the' gardens, 

T 



206 LirE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

each in the shape of a cross, all richly sei'ved 
with silver plate, and covered with every 
delicacy that the season could possibly afford. 
When the whole company was seated, there 
was a line of female beauty, more richly 
adorned, and a blaze of jewellery more bril- 
liant than England probably ever displayed 
before. — The grand cuxuhir dining-room, 
in ^vhich the knights of the gaiter were 
recently entertained> excited particular admi- 
ration by its cupola, supported by columns 
of porphyry, and the superior elegance of the 
w^hole of its furniture and arrangements. 
In this room were marble busts of the late 
Mr. Fox, the late Duke of Bedford, the Karl 
of Moira, and Earl Grey ; and in the centre 
was a lustre of an immense size imd most 
dazzling briiUanc}^ — The library and the 
council-room displayed the greatest taste. 
The latter was appropriated to dancing, and 
the floors chalked in a beautiful style. In 
the centre appeai'cd G. R. III. with the 
crown, supporters, and blazonry. The ex^ 
ternal decorations were equally grand and 
pleasing. Bands of music were stationed in 
the tents on the lawn of Carlton-house, and 
when dancing commenced, the ^;ay tlii'onpr 



THE lUGilT HON. 6. PERCEVAL. '201 

fitcpped over floors chalked \\ith Mosaic 
devices, and moved throiii^h thickets of roses, 
geraniums, and other Irai^rant sweets, illu- 
mined by variegated lights, that gleamed 
like stars through the foliage. In the course 
of the night a brilliant display of nre- works 
took phce, which gratified an inmiense body 
of spectators. 

The diuicing commenced about 12 o'clock, 
in the grand Council Chamber, in two lines, 
which were divided by a crimson cordon ; 
but not more tlian five or six couple danced 
in each set. At three o'clock supper was 
announced by the striking up of three bands 
of grand martial music stationed in the gar- 
dens. The Prince Regent, bowing grace- 
fully to the several personages of the Bour- 
bon family, preceded them to the ro\ al table 
in the Conservatory, being follo\^"ed by tlie 
Comte De Lille and the Duchess D'Angou- 
leme (handed by the Duke of York), by the 
Dukes D'Augouleme, Berri, Prince of 
Orange, and the Dukes of Clarence, Kent, 
Cumberland, Cambridge, Sussex, and Glou- 
cester. Except the great officers of state, 
none under the rank of duke and marquis 
with their ladies, could have place there, §o 



208 LIFE AKD ADMINISTKATION OF 

hat earls, countesses, and those of subordi- 
mte degree, took their places indiscrimi- 
nately at the other tables, all oi' which were 
amply supplied with every thing in season, 
and the richest wines, fruits, confectionary, 
&c. &c. Chairs for 2000 were placed, but 
that number being found insufficient, recesses 
were soon provided, so that all were amply 
supplied. The Prince Regent and his illus- 
trious guests rose from table at half-past four, 
and returned to the gold saloon in the same 
order that they descended. All the rooms 
were soon re-iilied, when dancing w^as re- 
newed ; and the sun being w^ell up, the 
blended lights of day and night gave the 
whole scene new features, which compen- , 
sated by a fuller display of the variegated 
colours of female dress, for any little draw- 
back that might ha^'c been sustained in arti- 
ficial complexions. 

Dresses. — All that art, taste, and expence 
♦.•oukl command, for personal decoration, 
had been in requisition for this night. The 
kidies all wore new dresses of English manu- 
facture, principally white satins, silks, lace, 
crape, ?.nd muslins, ornamented with silver ; 
head-dress ostrich feathers and diamond^. 



tHU RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 209 

The short Grecian waist appears to be again 
revived. The gentlemen wore court dresses, 
and naval and military uniforms, covered 
with a profusion of gold lace. The Prince 
Regent was dressed as a field marshal (as 
was also the Duke of York) with his hair in 
a long queue, the cordon blue, and a superb 
brilliant star, a large diamond loop and but- 
ton in his hat and feather, and wearing a 
sabre, the handle and scabbard of which 
were richly studded with jewellery. 

There were present at this splendid enter- 
tainment 14 dukes, 15 duchesses, 15 mar- 
quisses, 16 marchionesses, 98 earls, 85 count- 
esses, 39 viscounts, 21 viscountesses, 107 
lords, and as man}^ ladies of the same rank, 
besides barons, counts, admirals, ministers 
of state, generals, aldermen, &c. &c. 

It was impossible, ^^here the invitations 
were extended to such a number, to avoid 
many irksome and painful mistakes : pre- 
ferences v/ilhout reason, and omissions by 
oversight ; etiquette rigorously adhered t<5 
in one case, and innocently departed from in 
another ; but all this was natural in an 
establishment where the thing was new, and 
the number of guests so unprecedented. It 
t2 



210 LIFB AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

is allowed on every hand that his Royal 
Highness's motive was most generous and 
patriotic. He was desirous of reviving the 
almost dormant spirit of the metropolis, and 
of giving a spur to the relaxed branches of 
national industry. In the absence of his 
Majesty's court, and in the want of all 
foreign vent for the labours of our artisans, it 
was an object nearest the Prince's heart to 
animate the manufactures of the country, and 
to set all those who administer to the splen-. 
dours of fashion to work. — The distinguished 
."•uests did not begin to leave Carlton-house 
before six o'clock on Thursday morning, 
and the whole had not departed at eight, at 
which time the guards were taken off duty. 
The crowd of people in Pall Mail, from 
day-light until nine o'clock, was immense. 

The Duchess of Bedford, on her return 
from the fete on Thursday morning, ia 
alighting from her carriage at her house in 
Hamilton-place, dropped a diamond worth 
500 guineas, but it was afterwards found on 
the staircase. 

The plate used at the fete at Carlton-house 
was removed on Thursday, since which a 
tliimber of persons have been admitted with 



THE RIGHT HON. S. TEUCEVAL. 211 

tickets to view the an-angements in the house 
and gardens. 

That justice might be done to the British 
troops alter the battle of Barrosa, Mr. Per- 
ceval interested himself much to his honour. 
On Thursday, March 28, 1811, when the 
Vote of Thnnks was voted to General Gra- 
ham, he touched upon the particulars of that 
victor)' — a victory, he said, decided by the 
bayonet, and proved by the enemy's loss of 
cannon, of eagles, and of generals, while 
not a man was missing on our side. That 
it was not attended with the complete de- 
struction of the French army was owing to 
the great fatigue of the British, and should 
rather be ascribed to ill-fortune than to any 
thing else. Panegyric on the brilliant con- 
duct of the gallant General and his no less 
gallant army was quite unnecessary, he 
should thei-efore move, " That the Thanks 
of this House be given to Lieutenant-Gene- 
ral Thomas Graham, for the distinguished 
ability he displa}ed in the contest on the 
heights of Ban^osa, which terminated in the 
signal and total defeat of a superior force." 

Another attempt was made in May fol- 
lowing relative to the Catholic quebtioii, 



212 LIFE AND ADMINIST3ftAT10NvOF 

when Mr. Perceval stated, that he had then 
heard, after a long interval, the claim of 
right revived. He would allow the fullest 
claims of toleration, but the idea of a claim 
to political power was palpably absurd, and 
eminently so as coming from the very men 
who perpetually talked of povrer as only a 
trust for the people. If there was any fear 
that any body of men would use their power 
improperly, it ought not to be put into their 
hands. This single proposition made the 
claim of right to power absurd. He had 
never put the question on the loyalty and 
courage of the Catholic, but simply on the 
probable abuse or use of the power which 
he would have over the Establishment. He 
gave the highest praise to the bravery of the 
Irish soldiers and sailors ; but those merits 
had an inferior connection with the ques- 
tion. The language of the Hon. Gentle- 
man, (Mr. G.) who considered tithes as an 
oppression, and against the Canon of the 
Almighty, shewed the spirit of the motion^ 
and of the Catholics. Would not this be 
preliminary to the abolition of Tithes and of 
the Establishment? Those gentlemen who 
.had spoken so much of the Irish were not 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAL. 213 

infallible. Dr. Milner had been the god of 
their idolatry. He soon became quite the 
contrary. The same thing happened in 
their declarations on the Veto. The Irish 
now would allow it, and now they would 
not. All this ought to generate some dis- 
trust in their knowledge. He loved Chris- 
tian toleration, not the toleration of Philo- 
sophy. The French tolerating Philosophers 
were atrocious persecutors, and they over- 
turned all establishments. He thought that 
the more any great sects were brought to 
an equality of honours, the nearer they were 
to a struggle. They ought to have subor- 
dination, to have peace. It was not to be 
supposed that the Catholic Petition was 
more agreeable to the nation, because the 
public voice was less loud agciinst it than 
formerly. The reason was, the public fear 
was less active. When, at a late period, 
dangerous measures were urged by the le- 
gislature, the cry of the nation rose against 
them. The origin of that cry was imputed 
to artifice; but the cry exhibited the feeling 
which would be roused again the first mo- 
ment that the danger seemed probable. He 
must vote against the motion. 



214 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

Mr. Whitbread thought the speech of the 
Right Honourable Gentleman one of the most 
inflammatory things he had ever heard. It 
had false feelings, false principles, and false 
m'guments. 

To return to the Prince Reo-ent : some 
short time before this, Mr. Perceval, advert- 
ing in the House of Commons to a former 
notice he had given, respecting the House- 
hold to be provided for tlie Prince Reg^ent, 
proceeded as follows: "When his Royal 
Highness was pleased to signify his deter- 
mination of continuing in the service of the 
crown, the persons then carrying on the go- 
vernment, he (Mr. Perceval) felt that it be- 
came his duty to lay the plan of an household 
before the Regent; but upon an audience 
with his Royal Highness he learned, that 
his Royal Highness remained fixed in a per- 
fcct determination of adhering to his former 
sentiments upon that subject. For the na- 
ture of those sentiments his Royal Highness 
was pleased to refer him to a learned and 
honourable friend of his opposite {Mr. 
Adam). By him he had been informed, that 
from the moment he (Mr. P.) had first com- 
municated his intention respecting the course: 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PEUCKVAL. 215 

meant to be pui-sued by him respecting the 
household, his Royal Highness had com- 
municated to that learned gentleman, his 
detej'mijiatmi not to add to tlie burdens of 
the people by accepting of any addition to his 
public statey as Regent of the United King- 
dom! He (Mr. P.) felt satisfied that neither 
the House nor the public would have felt 
any indisposition in contributing to the ex- 
pence of the due support of the state and 
dignity of the Prince Regent : at the same 
time, the country would not be back'^'v ard in 
duly acknowledging this instance of self- 
denial on the part of the Prince ; and his 
Royal Highness could not fail to find that such 
refusal will, in point of fact, throw round his 
character and station more real splendour than 
could be borrowed from any pageantry how- 
n.wr brilliant. That external magnificeyice 
^mlculated to dazzle the vulgar gaze, and 
catch the giddy admiration of the populace, 
the Prince did not hesitate to sacrifice to 
those solid good qualities, which have long 
since won^ and promise to secure to him the 
affections of the people. Having stated thts2 
circumstances to the House, it Avas scarcely 



216 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OJ" 

necessary for him to add, that it was not 
now his intention to submit to them an^r 
such plan." 

Mr. Adam then rose, and confirmed the 
statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman, 
remarking — " That he had had long oppor- 
tunity of becoming minutely acquainted with 
the vievv s and intentions of his Royal High- 
ness, respecting his domestic economy ; and 
that his determination in this particular in- 
stance was but conformable to the principles 
which had governed the conduct of his Royal 
Highness." 

Upon the return of the Duke of York to 
office, it was said, " That the retreat of the 
French armies from Portugal had been re- 
ceived with so much exultation by Ministers,: 
that they imagined they might take what 
liberties they pleased, and that no insult of- 
fered to popular opinion could be too gross. 
Mr. Perceval seems to glory in having taken 
this hardy step, in recommending the Duke's 
restoration to office. May the merit he boasts 
be long remembered," &,c. 

The rippointnient of Colonel M^Mahon to 
the new office of Private Secretary to the 



THE BIGHT HON. S. VERCEVAi. 217 

Prince Regent, also excited a number of se- 
vere strictures, and the following among the 
rest. — 

" The appointment of Colonel M'Mahon holds 
out the Prince Regent, at the very connmence- 
ment of his office, as incompetent to discharge the 
functions of it, without such helps as none of his 
ancestors have ever had, except his immediate 
father after he had lost his sight. Next, we 
should wish it to be rentarked, how deeply it in- 
jures Colonel M'Mahon. That gentleman has 
been represented as a most meritorious servant of 
his Royal Master ; and yet would this appoint- 
ment lead one to infer, that the Prince Regent, 
with one hundred thousand pounds in his hands, 
allow^ed him for the express purpose of rewarding 
such servants, will not give Colonel M^Mahon a 
halfpenny of it, but fobs him off upon the people 
(who have received none of his attentions) to pro- 
vide for him in a new office. The nation is of ne- 
cessity driven to one of these alternatives, either to 
suppose that his Royal Highness is a master that 
will not reward the fidelity of his adherents, diough 
he has means allowed him by his people for that 
purpose (and that no one surely can credit) ; or 
that Colonel MMahon is not that faithful friend 
which he has been represented. This charity, 
therefore, instead of being one that blesses alike 
the giver and the receiver, is one that is detri- 



5^18 LIFE AND ADMINISTEATION 6* 

mental to both ; subjecting them alike to the infts^t 
injurious, and, we trust, unfounded suspicions. 
The opinion which we wish to inculcate is, that 
the Prince is a very beneficent master — Colonel 
H'Mahon a very deserving servant; and that, 
on the matter being thus truly represented to 
them, as they before shewed that they scorned to 
retain an useless office, they will now also shew 
that they scorn to burthen the people with a new 
one. The Prince, indeed, not able to govern the 
realm without the support of Colonel M'Mahon 
as his State Secretary, in addition to the threq 
Secretaries of State ! How demeaning the in- 
sinuation ! Why, it is likening his Royal High- 
ness to a bad President at a table who cannot 
keep his company in order without the help of a 
Vice." 

At length, in February, 1812, the predo^ 
minating influence of Mr. Perceval and his 
friends appeared to have obtained its meri- 
dian splendour. He had before damped the 
expectations of his opponents, when dream- 
ing of coming into power, by hinting to 
them, that the prospect they entertained 
might not open upon them so pleasantly as 
they imagined; but when the following Let- 
ter appeared from the Prince Regent, the 
last spark of hope was extinguished, and a 



THE RIGmt HON. S. PERCEVAL. 219 

doud seemed concentrating upon every coun- 
tenance. 



Letter of the Prince Regent to the Duke of Tor k. 

" MY DEAREST BROTHER, 

" As the Restrictions on the exercise of the 
Royal Authority will shortly expire, when I must 
inake my arrangements for the future Administra- 
tion of the Powers with which I am invested, I 
think it right to communicate those sentiments, 
which I was withheld from expressing at an earlier 
period of the Session, by my warmest desire, that 
the expected Motion on the Affairs of Ireland 
tnight undergo the deliberate discussion of Parlia- 
ment, unmixed with any other consideration. 

" I think it hardly necessary to call your recol- 
lection to the recent circumstances under which I 
assumed the authority delegated to me by Parlia- 
ment. At a moment of unexampled diificulty and 
danger, I was called upon to make a selection of 
persons to whom I should entrust the functions of 
the Executive Government. My sense of duty to 
our Royal Father solely decided that choice ; and 
every private feeling gave way to considerations 
which admitted of no doubt or hesitation. I trust 
I acted in that respect as die genuine Representa- 
tive of the august Person whose functions I was 
appointed to discharge ; and I have the satisfac- 
tion of knowing, thit such was the opinion of per- 



220 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

sons, for whose judgment and honourable princi- 
ples I entertain the highest respect. 

" In various instances, as you well know, where 
the law of the last session left mc at full liberty, I 
waved any personal gratification, in order that His 
Majesty might resume, on his restoration to health, 
every power and prerogative belonging to the 
Crown. I certainly am the last person in the king- 
dom to whom it can be permitted to despair of our 
Royal Father's recovery. 

'^ A new era is now arrived, and I cannot but re- 
flect with satisfaction oi> the events which have dis- 
tinguished the short period of my restricted Regen- 
cy. Instead of suffering in the loss of any of her 
possessions, by the gigantic force which has been 
employed against them. Great Britain has added 
most important acquisitions to her Empire. 

" The National Faith has been preserved invio- 
late towards our Allies ; and, if character is strength, 
as applied to a Nation, the increased and increasing 
reputation of His Majesty's arms will shew to the 
Nations of the Continent how much they may still 
achieve, when animated by a glorious resistance to 
a foreign voke. In the critical situation of the 
War in the Peninsula, I shall be most anxious to 
avoid any measure which can lead my Allies to 
suppose that I mean to depart from the present 
system. Perseverance alone can achieve the great 
object in question ; and I cannot withhold my ap- 
probation from those who have honourably dis^ 



THE HIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL, 221 

tinguished themselves in support of it. / have no 
predilections to indulge ^—^vio resentments to gra- 
tify no objects to attain but such as are common 

to the whole Empire. If such is the leading prin- 
ciple of my conduct, and I can appeal to the past 
in evidence of what the future will be, I flatter my- 
self I shall meet with the support of Parliament and 
a candid and enlightened Nation. 

" Having made this communication of my sen- 
timents in this new and extraordinary crisis of our 
affairs, I cannot conclude without expressing the 
gratification I should feel, if some of those per- 
sons, with whom the early habits of my public life 
were formed, would strengthen my hands, and 
constitute a part of my Government. With such 
support, and aided by a vigorous and united Ad- 
ministration, formed on the most liberal basis, I 
shall look with additional confidence to a prosper- 
ous issue of the most arduous contest in which 
Great Britain was ever engaged. — You are au- 
thorised to communicate these sentiments to Lord 
Grey, who, I have no doubt, will make them known 
to Lord Grenville. 

" I am always, my Dearest Frederick, your affec- 
tionate Brother, 

" George, P. R. 
*' Carlton House, Feb. 13, 1812. 

" P. S. I shall send a copy of this Letter imme- 
diately to Mr. Perceval.^' 

u2 



222 LIFE AND ADMmiSTRATIO:^ OF 

However, if the Prince's former friends 
were chagrined, his Highnesses dissatisfac- 
tion at meeting with a refusal of his gracious 
offers from the Lords Grenville and Grey, 
could not be much less than theirs. At least 
it was an open acknowledgment of that 
weakness of party, to the consciousness of 
which, both Mr. Perceval and his friends, at 
certain intervals, were no strangers. 

Perseverance in the system, seems to have 
been the watch word of Mr. Perceval and 
his coadjutors ; so that with respect to our 
conduct abroad or at home, innovation ap^ 
peared to have been as much dreaded in the 
state as formerly in the church. Neither the 
progress of our enemies on the continent, 
nor the alarming insubordination of some 
of our own counties, the desperation of 
some, or the distress of others, particularly 
our merchants, could awaken Mr. Perceval 
from the fatal lethargy of self- security, till it 
was too late, when a catastrophe, which can- 
not be too strongly deprecated in every civi- 
lized country, appears to have overthrown the 
Minister and his majorities. 

Monday, May the 11th, 1812, will proba- 
fel V be a day which will never be erased from 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 223 

our annals. It was a day when the first mi- 
nister of a great and powerful nation was 
doomed to fall in a place, which, for its secu- 
rit}% might have been chosen before all 
others, and by the hand of a private indivi- 
dual, whose dark and gloomy purpose, un- 
like conspirators in general, it seems had ne- 
ver been entrusted to any but his own bo- 
som. The late Mr. Bellingham, whose dis- 
tresses as a merchant drove him to this da- 
ring deed, having been harshly treated in 
Russia, first applied to Lord Leveson Gower, 
our ambassador at the time, without effect ; 
and on his coming over to England, think- 
ing Mr. Perceval stood in the way of justice, 
he was determined to take vengeance in his 
own hcuids : the particulars of this alarming 
and important event we shall now state as 
briefly as possible. 

On Monday, May the 11th, about five in 
the evening, Mr. Perceval having walked 
from his house in DowAing Street, was en- 
tering the lobby of the House of Commons, 
where a number of persons were standing, 
when a man, who had a short time previously 
})laced himself in the recess of the door- way 
within the lobby, drew out a small pistol, and 



S24 t,tPE AND ADMimSTIlATlON Of* 

shot Mr. Perceval in the lower part of the 
Mt breast. The ball is supposed to havfe 
entered the heart. Mr. Perceval moved for- 
wards a few faltering steps, nearly half way 
up the lobby, and fell. He was immediately 
carried to the room of the Speaker's Secre- 
tary, to the left of the lobby, by Mr. W. 
Smith, Mr. Bradshaw, and another gentle- 
man. Mr. Lynn, the surgeon, of Great 
George Street, was immediately sent for ; 
but, on examining the wound, he considered 
the case utterly hopeless. All that escaped 
Mr. Perceval's lips previously to falling in 
the lobby, was "murder!" or "murdered!" 
He said no more aftervi^ards. He expired in 
about ten or twelve minutes after receiving 
the fatal wound. Several members of both 
Houses of Parliament went into the room 
while he was dying ; among others, his bro- 
ther Lord Arden : all of them appeared greatly 
agitated. There was very little effusion of 
blood from the wound externally. His body 
was subsequently removed into the Speaker's 
house. The deed ^as perpetrated so sud- 
denly, that the man who fired the pistol was 
not instantly recognised by those m the lobby, 
^t a p^son passing at the i](ioni€i^t beMnd 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PEHCEVAL. 225 

Mr. Perceval, seized the pistol, which the 
assassin surrendered without resistance, re- 
tiring towards a bench to the left. On being 
asked if he were the villain who shot the 
Minister, he replied, " I am the unhappy 
man;^' but appeared quite undisturbed. He 
was taken to the bar of the House, and being 
identified as the assassin, underwent an exa- 
mination before Messrs. M. A. Taylor, Al- 
dermen Coombe and Curtis, &c. Though 
cautioned by Sir J. Hippesley not to crimi- 
nate himself, he said : "I have admitted the 
fact — I admit the fact, but wish, with per- 
mission, to state something in my justifica- 
tion. I have been denied the redress of my 
grievances by Government; I have been ill- 
treated. They all know who I am, and 
what I am, through the Secretary of State 
and Mr. Becket, with whom I have had fre- 
quent communications. They knew of this 
fact six weeks ago, through the magistrates of 
Bow Street. I was accused most wrong- 
fully by a Governor General in Russia, in a 
letter from Archangel to Riga, and have 
sought redress in vain. I am a most unfor- 
tunate man, and feel here (placing his hand 
on his breast) sufficient justification for what 



^2^6 lil^FE AN© ADMIl^ISTRATIOX OF 

I have done," Being again cautioned by Lord 
Castlereagh that he was not on his defence, 
lie said, " Since it seems best to you that I 
should not now explain the causes of my con* 
"duct, I will leave it until the day of my trial, 
%hen my country ^vill have an opportunity 
'^f judging whether I am right or wrong." 
He was then handcuffed, with an assurance 
^at the property taken out of his pocket 
Ihi^iild be restored next morning. He was 
Conveyed to Newgate between one and two 
d'cloek on Tuesday morning in a coach, es- 
•tfeorted by a party of Life-guards — it being 
-tlfeught proper not to send him earlier, on ae- 
^jibunt of a disposition having been manifested 
•hy the populace in Lower Palace Yard, to 
%pen the coach door and liberate him. He 
WJas taken out by the Speaker's entrance, and 
-^ery precaution adopted at Newgate to pre- 
vent his committing suicide. 

With respect to the House of Lords, at 
Itie time, it seems they had just finished hear- 
ing counsel in an appeal case, and were pro- 
ceeding with the reading of some private 
bills, when a bustling noise was heard with- 
but dooi's. Presently a cry was heard, ** Mr. 
Fferc^^^al shot!-^Mr. Perceval shot!" and a 



gentleman connected with one of the parlia^ 
mentary offices, rushed in, and stated to the 
anxious Peers who surrounded him, that h^ 
was standing close by Mr. Perceval in th|9 
lobby of the House of Commons, when ji 
pistol was fired at Mr. Perceval, who uttered 
a cry of *' murder," or " murdered,'* stag- 
gered two or three piaces, and fell on his side. 
The officer then came away ; but said he be* 
lieved that Mr. Perceval was dead. Mo^ 
of the Lords immediately rushed out, leaving 
only Lord Eldon and two Bishops in the 
liouse ; and upon their return, after a few 
minutes private conversation, the Lord Chan- 
cellor said, that having just been apprized of 
a melancholy and atrocious event which had 
occurred in the lobby of the other House, he 
should give proper directions to the officer^ 
that none go out of the doors without being 
searched (alluding to the strangers below 
the bar). After some private consultation, 
an address to the Prince Regent was agreed 
upon ; but Lord EUenborough thought they 
should have some evidence how IVir Ptrceval 
came by his death ; and for this purpose, 
Mr. Taylor, a door-keeper, being called, said 
he saw a pistol aimed and fired at Mr. Per 



228 UPE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

ceval, who fell and expired. Earl Radnor 
then moved a Resolution for an Address to 
the Prince Regent, " expressive of the horror 
which their Lordships feel at the atrocious 
assassination of Mr. Perceval in the lobby of 
the House of Commons, and pray his Royal 
Highness would take the speediest measures 
for bringing the perpetrator of the crime to 
justice." Earl Grey seconded the motion in 
a low tone, as if overpowered by his feelings. 
The motion was then unanimously agreed to> 
and the address ordered to be presented. 

Tuesday. — The Duke of York present- 
ed the answer of the Prince Regent to the 
Address, declaring that his Royal Highness 
participated in the sentiments of horror felt 
by their Lordships at the atrocious murder 
of Mr. Perceval, and w^ould take the requi- 
site measures to bring the perpetrator to 
justice. The Earl of Liverpool then deli- 
vered a Message from the Prince Regent, 
stating, that being desu'ous of marking his 
sense of the public and private virtues of Mr. 
Perceval, and of affording relief and assist- 
ance to his numerous family and afflicted wi- 
dow, his Royal Highness recommended a 
parliamentary provision for them.. The Earl 



THE RIGHT HUX. S. PEllOEVAL. 2^^* 

of Liverpool, in moving a corresponding an- 
swer, paid an affecting tribute to the me- 
mory and virtues of his departed friend ; his 
Lordship said he knew no man possessed of 
more virtues, or of fewer faults, or more de- 
void of guile. Earl Grey participated most 
sincerely in the feelings excited by this de- 
plorable and horrid event, and approved highly 
of making provision for the numerous family 
of a public servant. 

In the House of Commons, on Tuesday, 
Lord Castlereagh brought up a Message 
from the Prince Regent, recommending a 
provision for the wife and family of Mr. Per- 
ceval. His Lordship, in an impressive ad- 
dress, rendered nearly inaudible at times by 
the acuteness of his feehngs, stated that liis 
honourable and lamented friend had fallen a 
victim to the resentment and revenge of a dis- 
appointed individual, while in the zealous and 
conscientious discharge of his duty. He was 
happy to state that the crime attached itself 
to a single individual ; that he had no accom- 
plice ; and so far the national character re- 
mained without a stain. Aftt r some just en- 
• omiums on die character and disposition of 
ihe late M^. Perceval, his Lr.rdslilp laid it 



230 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

down as a principle, that unless there had 
been some base misconduct on the part of 
the public servant, it became the duty of the 
House to extend its protection to such ser- 
vants, and defend them from public or pri- 
vate malignity. His Lordship then moved 
an Address to the Prince Regent, declaring 
their abhorrence of the atrocious act com- 
mitted within the walls of Parliament, and 
expressing their willingness to make the 
required provision. Mr. Ponsonby was anxi- 
ous to second the motion, ai^ expressed 
his entire concurrence in the sentiments of 
the Noble Lord. He bore testimony to the 
numerous virtues of the late Mr. Perceval, 
for whose person he entertained a warm af- 
fection. Mr. Whitbread sincerely deplored 
the loss of the Right Hon. Gentleman, whose 
liberal and unceasing controul of temper he 
particularly admired. Sir R. Wigram sug- 
gested a public funeral, which L'^d Castle- 
reagh said would be distressing to t&e family. 
Messrs. Canning and W. Wynne* shortly 
spoke, after which the House agi'eed to hear 
such witnesses on the' Orders of Council as 
were desirous of returning home before an 
adjournment of any length took place. 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 231 

Wednesday. — Sir F. Burdctt rose, and 
in a short speech expressed his detestation of 
the assassination of Mr. Perceval, and his 
concurrence in the proceedings of this House. 
In a Committee on the Prince Regent's mes- 
sage, relating to the provision for Mr. Per- 
ceval's family, Lord Castlcreagh moved that 
an annuity of 20001. should be granted to 
Mrs. Perceval, and the sum of 50,0001. to be 
vested in trustees, for the benefit and use of 
the twelve children of the late Mr. Perceval. 
His Lordship said that scarcely any property 
was left behind, and that only arising- out of 
the fortune the widow was entitled to at her 
marriage. Messrs. Herbert and H. Sumner 
thought the grant wholly inadequate, and the 
latter proposed that 7,0001. should be ap- 
^propriated to each child. Messrs. Wilber- 
force, Whitbread, Wynne, and Banks, urged 
the propriety of unanimity — the sum propo- 
sed by the noble Lord had the sanction of 
the family, and it would be better to vote it 
unanimously, than a larger sum with opposi- 
tior). The grant of 50,0001. without fee or 
deduction to the children, was tlien voted 
unanimously ; but on ih<t motion of Mr. H* 
Sumner, carried on a division by 156 to 



232 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATIdN Of 

23, the annuity of 2,0001. to Mrs. Perceval, 
is to descend, on her decease, to the next 
heir male of the late Mr. Perceval. — Ad^. 
journed. 

Thursday . — About 300 members, dress- 
ed in mourning, or with crape round their 
regimentals, went up with the Address; 
after the Regent's answer had been read, the 
House went into a Committee on the Reso- 
lutions for providing for the family of the late 
Mr. Perceval, when Mr. H. Sumner's Reso- 
lution was opposed by Mr. Whitbread. — Mr. 
Lushington, in advocating the Resolution, 
said, " I saw Lord Arden, the brother of Mr. 
Perceval, overwhelmed with grief, and his 
hand placed upon his body, near the part 
w^here the fatal Vvound was inflicted." * My 
brother,' he exclaimed, * you are gone, gone 
to heaven ! but your children' " His chil- 
dren," replied an honourable Member stand- 
ing by, "are his country's!" He hoped the 
declaration would be verified. The Resolu- 
tion was ordered to be re-committed to-mor- 
row. — Witnesses were examined on the 
Orders in Council, after which the House ad- 
journed. 

Friday. — On the Motion of Lord Cllve, 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 233 

the erection of a monument to the memory 
of Mr. Perceval, m St. Peter's church, West- 
minster, at the public expence, was carried 
by 199 to 26; — as was Mr. Huskisson's Re- 
solution, for granting an annuity for life to 
Mr. Perceval's eldest son of 1,0001. from May, 
1812, to be increased to 2,0001. on the death 
of his mother. 

On Saturday morning the remains of Mr. 
Perceval were removed from his house in 
Downing Street, for interment in the family 
vault, at Charlton, in Kent, where Mrs. Per- 
ceval's mother resides. At eight o'clock a 
great number of noblemen's and gentlemen's 
carriages were assembled at Whitehall, op- 
posite Privy Gardens. At nine the proces- 
sion moved from Downing Street, in the fol 
lowing order : — 

Mutes and attendants on horseback, 

Hearse and Six with the Body, 

vSIx Mourning Coaches, followed by 25 Carnages, 

tbe Carnages of the Cabinet Ministers, 

Relatives of the deceased, 

his own Carriage, &c. 

The procession moved slowly on towards 
Westminster Bridge. Here the solemiiity 
X 2 



234 LIFE ANB ADMINISTRATION OF 

of the spectacle was heightened by the tolUng 
of the deep-toned bells of the Abbey and St. 
Margaret's church. The pause which took 
place in George Sti'eet and Parliament Street^ 
within a few yards of the place where the 
atrocious murder was perpetrated, gave an 
opportunity for reflection, and excited in every 
inind susceptible of grief, the most painful 
sensations ; and the mourners would have 
been numerous indeed, had not the Members 
of both Houses of Parliament received circu- 
lars, that it was the particular wish of the af- 
Bicted family to have the ceremony conducted 
as privately as possible. 

In the first mourning coach was Lord 
Arden, attended by his chaplain, and ano- 
ther gentleman ; in the second were the Lord 
Chancellor, the Earl of Liverpool, the Earl 
of Harrowby, and Mr. Secretary Ryder; 
Among the mourners in the otlier coaches 
were Lord Perceval, Lord Redesda!e, the 
Marquis Wellesley, the Earls of Westmor- 
land and Buckinghamshire, Lords Sidmouth, 
Camden, Bathurst, Castlereagh, Melville, 
' and Messrs. Arbutlmot, Wharton, Croker, 
Brooksbank, &.c. 

A party of the City Light Horse attended at 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 235 

Ncwington Butts, and accompanied the pro- 
cession to the church, in order to testify their 
respect for Mr. Perceval, who was a member, 
and their treasurer. 

The coffin was very superb. The inscrip- 
tion was as follows : — 

Right Honoural)le SPENCER PERCEVAL, 

Chaiicellor of the Exchequer, first l^ord of the 

Treasury, Prime Minister of England, 

Fell by the hand of an ASSASSIN, in the Commons 

House of Parliament, May 11, A. D. 1812, in the 

50th year of his age; born, Nov. 1st. A. D. 1762. 

The trial of Bellingham commenced on Fri- 
day, May 15, when the auditors were nume- 
rous beyond example. But as the Prisoner's 
defence embraces the most important part pf 
that proceeding, we shall insert it here, for the 
purpose of tlirowing more light upon the 
conduct of Mr. Perceval and his colleagues 
in office. 

" Gentlemen of the Jury, 
'^ I feel that I am under great obligations to the 
learned Attorney General for inducing the court 
to disniiss the objection that was made by my 
counsel on the ground of insanity ; because it is 
by far tnore fortunate for roe that such a plea 



236 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

should be determined to be unfounded, than that 
it should be established. At the same time, I must 
express m\' gratitude to my counsel, whose object 
was certainly most meritorious. That I am insane, 
I certainly am most ignorant of, and I assure you 
that I never had an idea of it, with the exception 
of one instance in Russia, where my insanity was 
made a matter of public notoriet}'. — {The prisofier 
here appeared inuch embarrassed^ and after a short 
pause^ proceeded,)''^'Geuilemeny I beg pardon for 
thus detaining you, but I am wholly unaccustomed 
to situations like the present, and this is the first 
time I ever addressed a public audience ; I there- 
fore hope to receive your candid indulgence, and 
trust that you will pay more attention to the matter 
detailed than to the manner in which it is deli- 
vered. We are now engaged in the investigation 
of the facts of this most singular affair, and the 
circumstances under which I am brought (if I may 
use the phrase), a compulsive vohmteer to this bar. 
Do you suppose me the man to go with a delibe- 
rate design, without cause or provocation, with a 
pistol to put an end to the life of Mr. Perceval? 
No, gentlemen ! far otherwise. I have strong rea- 
sons for my conduct, however extraordinar}'^ ; rea- 
sons v/hich, when I have concluded, you will ac- 
knowledge to have fully justified me in this fatal 
fact. Had I not possessed these imperious incite- 
ments, and had murdered him in cool blood, I 
should consider myself a monster, not only unfit 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 237 

lo live in this world, but too wicked for all the tor- 
ments that may be inflicted in the next. 

" Circumstances may justify every thing ; and I 
have now to unfold to you a scene of oppression 
and iniquity which is without a parallel, and 
which, had not the facts been authenticated by 
original documents, laid before Marquis Welles- 
ley, as his Lordship can prove, would be utterly 
incredible. The learned Attorney General has 
candidly stated to you, that he has not the slightest 
imputation against my honour or character up to 
the fatal catastrophe which must be long lamented, 
and which I regret with the utmost sincerity ; 
none can feel more pain upon this subject than I 
do, not excepting even the family of Mr. Perceval. 
I hope I shall be able to make the truth of this 
assertion distinctly appear, by setting the affair in 
its true light. For eight years have I now been 
persecuted on account of circumstances that were 
mere invention for my ruin; I was driven almost 
to despair, and I had even a carte blanclie from the 
British to right myself in any way I might be able 
to discover. I have cV ne so. I am now unex- 
pectedly called to judgment, though for the last 
eight years I have sought judgment and justice 
from government in vain. Here I stand unpre- 
pared with many necessary documents that I have 
been unable, from the shortness of the notice, to 
procure, and I am, besides, in a great measure^ 



238 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

without witnesses, which are equally requisite foi- 
my vindication. 

" It will be necessary for me, gentlemen, to go 
back to transactions as long ago as 1804, for from 
that period I may date my misery; and to set the 
subject in a clear point of view, I shall beg leave to 
read to you the 'copy of a petition which was trans- 
mitted through my solicitor, Mr. Windle, to the 
Prince Regent, as long ago as September, 1807. In 
consequence, however, of not receiving any reply, I 
took the resolution, under the instruction of counsel, 
to apply to Colonel M*Mahon on the subject. It 
appeared, that he had received the petition, but 
it had been mislaid, and in consequence I sent ano- 
ther, of which, what I hold in my hand is a copy. 
I will beg leave to read it, that you may be inform- 
ed of the commencement and progress of this un- 
happy business in Russia, which gave rise to my ap- 
plications on this side the water, and which, unfor- 
tunately for me, for Mr. Perceval, and for the coun- 
try at large, have ended in a manner so melancholy 
and tragical." 

The prisoner here read ^ht commencement of his 
petition to the Regent, and then went on : — 

" Lord Leveson Gower also, as I little ex- 
pected, wrote me word, that by the letter of the 
Governor, he was precluded from interposing ; 
but that if I would produce vouchers, establishing 
the truth of my allegations, he would then write 



TFIE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 239 

to the governor. Very good ! I was now in some 
hopes of a restoration to freedom and to my fa- 
mily, but I was again doomed to be disappointed. 
I sent the letters and papers to the procureur, for 
the purpose of establishing my innocence, and the 
aft'air being so grossly impure and so perfectly no- 
torious, the procureur was obliged to report upon 
them, but froin that hour to this moment, I never 
heard a single, syllable from Lord Gower, or from 
Sir S. Shairpe. Reflect now, gentlemen, if you 
can imagine yourselves in a state of such accumu- 
lated misery, what must have been your feelings, 
and from thence judge of mine. I had been but 
recently married to a wife, then only twenty years 
of age, with an infant at her breast, and pregnant 
with a second child ; yet I was doomed to continue 
immured in a dungeon for six months longer. 
( The prisoner burst into tears ; as soon as he was 
again collected^ he proceeded.) Gentlemen, it so 
happened, that at this juncture, a new civil go- 
vernor. Baron Asch, was appointed, and to him I 
stated tilt cruel circumstances under which I was 
detained. He very candidly said, that I was 
either innocent or guilty : if innocent, I ought to 
be discharged, and if guilty, I ought to be tried. 
He took up my cause, for I had no friends beside ; 
I was surrounded by enemies ; but he generously 
stepped forward, and bringing the matter into a 
court of justice, 1 obtained judgment against the 
whole party, including the military governor who 



240 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

had injured me. I proved the falsity of the charge, 
and shewed, that the only object of the infernal 
league was to extort from me a large sum of 
money. 

"On my arrival in Petersburg, I made appli- 
cation to Count Kotzebue, then minister of the 
interior, and I brought two charges against my 
prosecutor. Count Kotzebue had the affair in- 
vestigated in most of the departments at Archangel, 
and finding my statement accurate, gave me a do- 
cument which enabled me to bring my case before 
the Senate. It had previously devolved into tlie 
hands of Prince Chatterinsky, minister of foreign 
affairs, by whom it was laid before the Emperor, 
from whence it was transmitted to the Senate to be 
determined according to the law. Just at this 
period, Lord Gower arrived, and I put the papers 
into his hands, that they might be laid before the 
Senate. I produced my complaints before the 
Senate, but before any decision was had, I found 
myself arrested on two charges, the one criminal, 
and the other civil,, and I was dragged from my 
family, thrown again into prison, where I con- 
tinued for no less a space than two years ! These 
^^-ere trials that would bow the proudest head and 
sink the noblest heart. Think, gentlemen, what I 
endured ; and what was my offence ? Nothing : 
there was not the shadow of proof against me. 
I was accused, however, of having quitted Areh- 
angcl cUmdestinely. Gentlemen, I feel myself bO 



THE RfGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 241 

much exhausted, that I must beg to pause for a few 
seconds. 

" Gentlemen, thus I was again thrown into a 
dungeon and into despair ; without a hope, with- 
out a friend ! The very day I expected a com- 
plete enfranchisement, the very hour I looked for 
re-established honours and reviving fortunes, 1 
was handed to another prison, because I would not 
and could not submit to the extortion of 2000 
roubles. I was dragged about the streets, with 
offenders who had been guilty of the most atro- 
cious crimes. I was bandied about from one place 
to another. I have even passed the very door of 
the British ambassador, who had refused to listen 
to my complaints, and who must have been an un- 
moved and pitiless witness of what would have 
wrung the heart-strings of other men but to have 
looked upon. Of what must my heart have been 
composed, that was the sufferer of this indignity 
and this torture, to the eternal disgrace of both na- 
tions ? I applied to Sir Stephen Shairpe again, 
without success ; I was not listened to ; I could 
obtain no redress there. I sought it here, and 
here in my native country I have been again re- 
fused : my fortune and my character have been ru- 
ined, and I §tand here alone and unprotected by all 
but the laws of my country. They, I trust, will af- 
ford me that which all others have denied. 

" I applied constandy to every ambassador for 
redress, and still I was kept in that miserable con- 
Y 



242 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

dition for six years ; bandied from prison to prison, 
from torture to torture, made a public spectacle of, 
led through the streets of Petersburgh with a 
common herd of malefactors. I ask you, gentle- 
ttien of the jury, what my feelings must have 
been? Consult your own bosoms, and there you 
will find the answer. And all this could not have 
happened but by the connivance of Lord L. 
Gower and Sir S. Shairpe. During this period, 
too, Mrs. Bellingham, then in a state of preg- 
nancy, and one infant in her arms, was anxiously 
waiting for me to accompany her to England. I 
could not, and she was compelled to perform that 
dangerous voyage alone and unprotected, though 
in a condition so interesting; while Lord Gower 
saw and permitted so much misery. Oh, my God ! 
what must his heart be made of? Gentlemen, I 
appeal to you as men, as fathers, as Christians, if 
I had not cause of complaint. — {Here the prisoner 
-was much affected^ and he burst into tears : after a 
pause of a few moments^ he resumed*) — -Lord 
Gower committed a first error, in refusing to in- 
terfere ; and he afterwards persisted in it. — I was 
the victim. I was imprisoned for eighteen months, 
by the order of the chamber of commerce, in 
order that they might extort from me 2000 roubles, 
which, as I knew I did not owe, I would not pay. 
I was constantly guarded during this period, and 
iVt(r: ^tly paraded through the streets of Peters- 
burgh, a public spectacle. Finding I was too firm 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 243 

to bend to their views, they proclaimed me a 
bankrupt, allowing me, according to the law in 
Russia, only three months to setde every claim 
upon me. And such was the eagerness of the 
chamber of commerce to ruin me, that they em- 
ployed emissaries to enquire out persons to whom 
I owed money : their clerks stopped people in the 
streets, and asked them, ' Do you know Mr. Bel- 
lingham ? Does he owe you any money I Do 
you know he is a bankrupt,. and that he is going 
to England with all his property r' and other si- 
milar questions. Yet, after all, they were obliged 
to give a document, testifying, that there were 
neither claimants nor creditors. These documents 
I afterwards placed in the hands of INIarquis Wcl- 
lesley, and I call upon the noble Marquis, whom I 
see in the court, to disprove this assertion, if it be 
false. 

" Under such accumulated, jnisfortunes, nothing 
but a sustaining Power from above, nothing but 
the express interposition of Providence, could 
have preserved me to visit once ntore. my country 
and my family. None of my friends in England 
ever expected to see me again. And I beg of you 
to remember, gentlemen, that all these sufferings 
were endured through the permission of Lord 
Gower. It was with his sanction and patronage 
that I was proclaimed a bankrupt, for without, it 
could not have taken place ; and it was through 
his connivance that iTiy appeal to justice was never 



244 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

listened to. During this period I made repeated 
applications to various ambassadors, and I made 
a final appeal to Lord Gower before he left Pe- 
tersburgh, the last time he was there. His secre- 
tary informed me his lordship could not do any 
thing. — Here I pause, gentlemen of the jury, and 
ask you earnestly to recollect these proceedings : 
consider, for a moment, what must have been the 
conduct of Lord Gower and Sir Stephen Shairpe, 
men clothed with the dignity of the representa- 
tion of majesty, to suffer a native of their country 
to remain in prison, enduring such multiplied in- 
dignities. There was a transaction, also, which 
happened during that very period, calculated to 
shew, in a still stronger light, the manifest in- 
justice of my case. A paltry dispute between 
two captains was four times laid before the em- 
peror, by Lord Gower, in the course of two 
months. Gentlemen, while I relate this, I must 
say it would have been fortunate for me, and it 
would have been more fortunate for Mr. Perceval, 
had Lord Gower received the ball which terminated 
the life of the latter gendeman,. 

(There here arose a murmur of disapprobation 
in the court, which appeared to disconcert the pri- 
soner.) 

** After I came to England, I presented a me- 
morial to the Marquis Wellesley, and grounded 
my claims to compensation upon the erroneous 
letter already alluded to. I received an answer, 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 245 

in which I was informed that his Lordship could 
not enter into a consideration of my claims, be- 
cause of the state of relation in which Russia then 
stood with regard to this country. — My next mea- 
sure was to bring a serious charge against Lord 
Gower and Sir S, Shairpe before the privy coun- 
cil. I did so; and what was the result? an an- 
swer from the council office, that their lordships 
did not find any matter in my case, in which 
they could interfere. — I then applied to Mr. Per- 
ceval, and received an answer, in which I was in- 
formed, that the time for receiving private peti- 
tions was past for that session ; nor, he added, 
did he think my claims such as could with pro- 
priety be submitted to parliament. 

" By this refusal I was again reduced to despair* 
My situation became daily and hourly worse. My 
property was all sold ; my creditors were clamor- 
ous ; my family was ruined ; my mind was in a 
state of horror. I next applied to the treasury, 
conceiving, that there I might obtain some consi- 
deration for my claims. My pretensions, how- 
ever, were neglected, and I received a letter from 
the Secretary of the Treasury, inclosing my. do- 
cuments and negativing my request. My next 
application was to the fountain of grace itself, to 
the Prince Regent. It appeared, from Colonel 
M'Mahon's letter, that my first petition was mis- 
laid, I therefore sent a second, nearly similar to the 
former. 

T 2 



246 LIFE AND AT)]MINISTKATION OF 

" Gentlemen, this second petition I forwatded 
to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, and re- 
ceived an answer from Mr. Becket, secretary to 
Mr. Ryder, dated the 18th of February, 1812. 
In consequence of this reply, referring me to the 
council office, I had the honour of communicating 
with Lord Chettvynd and Mr. BuUer. Upon 
opening my case to them, and stating my hopes^ 
of compensation, Mr. Buller said, I don't know 
where the money is to come from ; and he added 
definitively, that I had nothing to expect. I 
asked, why the council refused to attend to hrs 
Royal Highness's reference, but could obtain no 
answer. It was my duty, then, to communicate 
the affair to the Prince Regent. I had a petition 
to the parliament drawn out. This I sent to the 
Prince Regent, requesting that his Royal High- 
ness would order the Commons to take it into 
consideration. I received an answer from Mf. 
Secretary Ryder, dated Whitehall, March 9, 1812, 
in which I was informed, that his Royal Highness 
had not been pleased to signify any commands re- 
specting my petition. 

" Thus deluded by his Majesty's ministers — ^r^ 
ferred backwards and forwards — bandied about 
from one to another, obviously for the purpose of 
evasion, could it be expected I should not feel 
some degree of indignation ? I mention these 
things as some justification of the crime laid to my 
charge ; it is a duty which I owe myself to da so ; 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 247 

and I shall continue, therefore, to state the facts 
as they occurred. Finding myself the dupe of 
the ministers, and not likely to obtain any redress 
through their hands, I resolved to take justice in 
my own, I did so. I gave notice at Bow-street 
against his Majesty's ministers, for not doing me 
justice. I wrote a letter to Mr. Read, the magis- 
trate, in which I stated that the door of justice 
had been shut against me ; and I added, " if this 
reasonable request of justice be refused, I shall 
be obliged to do justice for myself, in which case 
I shall be prepared to argue the matter before his 
Majesty's attorney-general, whenever and where- 
ever it may be necessary." To this letter I re- 
ceived an answer that Mr. Read could not inter- 
fere ; but, as was his duty, especially as was 
proved by the subsequent melancholy catastrophe, 
he communicated the matter to his Majesty's mi- 
nisters. I then went to Mr. Ryder again, by him 
I was referred to the Treasury for a final decision 
upon my claims ; that final decision I at length 
received from Mr. Hill, who told mc that nothing 
could be done, and added, that I was at liberty to 
take any measures I thought proper, and to do, 
in short, whatever I chose. 

" Gentlemen, I am now coming to a conclusion. 
I have stated to you a history of my case, in the 
firm hope that it will prove some justification of 
the crime with which I am charged. I shall only 
further trouble you with a defence which, at a late 



248 J^IFIB AND ADMINISTRATION, OF 

hour last night, and at an early hour this vtnorn- 
ing, I drew up. [Here the prisoner read from a 
written paper, in substance to the following ef- 
fect ;]-r-Gentlemen, whenever I appear before the 
tribunal of my God, I shall appear there as inno- 
cent of, the wilful murder of Mr. Perceval, as they, 
who, after judgment, are admitted, among the 
angels of heaven. That my arm destroyed him, 
I allow ; that he perished by my hand, I admit ; 
but to constitute felony, there must be malice fire' 
penseii there must be the wilful intention, and X 
deny that that has been proved. Unless proved, 
however, the felony cannot be made out; this you 
will shortly hear from the bench, and in that case 
you must acquit me. Recollect, gentlemen, what 
was my situation; recollect that my family was 
ruined, and myself destroyed, merely because it 
was Mr. Perceval's pleasure that justice should 
not -be granted ; sheltering himself behind the 
imagined security of his station, and trampling 
upon law and right, in the belief that no retribu- 
tion, could reach him. Of that departed gentle- 
ma»: I'! do not wish to speak with disrespect ; I do 
not ;wish to say any, thing in disparagement of the 
virtues which he was allowed to possess; and 
when I speak of him, I speak of him only in re- 
fere^fe- to myself. In a case so strong as mine, 
when I demand justice, I demand only my right, 
and npt a favour; I demand what i& the birth- 
ri^ jai^d ;pnyilege.v9df fvery EnglishBa^^^t- Gen- 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 249 

tlemen, when a minister sets himself above the 
laws, as Mr. Perceval did, he does it at his own 
personal risk. If this were not so, the mere will 
of the Minister would become the law, and what 
would then become of your liberties ? As to any 
malicious intention towards Mr. Perceval, or any 
desire to injure him, I solemnly avow that it was 
most averse from my heart. Justice, and justice 
only, was my object. I was driven to despair, to 
agony, to ruin, by the conduct of ministers. I 
gave notice at Bow-street, that if my claims were 
finally rejected, I would do myself the justice, 
and that solely to ascertain in a criminal court of 
justice, whether a Minister of England has a right 
to refuse justice to a subject of the realm. I have 
done so ; and I again repeat, that the direct refu- 
sal of justice, on the part of Administration, 
was the sole cause of this sad catastrophe ; and 
his Majesty's ministers have now to reflect on 
their own impure conduct, for an act which has 
deprived the country of the talents of Mr. Per- 
ceval. It is a melancholy fact, that to warp jus- 
tice on any pretext, or under any circumstances, 
is the cause of all moral evil : if this position 
needs any proof, the unfortunate event upon 
which you are now assembled to decide affords 
that proof. The cruelty of my case must be ob- 
vious to you. If a poor but unfortunate man 
stops another upon the highway, and robs him of 
a few shillings, he is deprived of life j but I have 



24Q LIFJEANI]^ ADMINISTRATION OP 

been robbed of thousands by the government; I 
have been deprived of every thing : I have been 
imprisoned for years ; my wife, my family, have 
been ruined ; and I am now called to answer for 
my life, because Mr. Perceval chose to patronize 
iniquity. What must then be the crime of the 
government towards me ? and yet it goes unpu- 
nished. Is there any comparison between the two 
cases ? It is a mite to a mountain. I had no al- 
ternative but to sink into utter ruin, or to take 
the melancholy step which I have adopted. I was 
prompted to it by no malice prepense : I was in- 
cited by the hope of bringing into court my un- 
fortunate case, without which, I. knew .it never 
could be promulgated ; and I was incited by the 
desire, of afterwards returning to the bosom of my 
family with comfort and honour. I trust that this 
serious lesson will operate as a warning to all fu- 
ture ministers, and that they will henceforth do 
the thing that is. right; for if the upper ranks of 
society are permitted to act wrong with impunity, 
the inferior ramifications will soon become wholly 
corrupt. 

" Gentlemen, my life is in your hands, J rely 
confidently upon your justice ; I know not wiiat 
your verdict may be ; but sooner than suffer what 
I have done for the last eight years, five hundred 
deatlis would be preferable. If I am destined to 
sacrifice my life, I shall meet my doom with con- 
scious tranquillity ; I shall look forward to it. as 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 251 

the iveary traveller looks for the promised inn, 
where he may repose his wearied frame after en- 
during the pelting of the pitiless storm. — Gentle- 
men^ it will now remain between God and your con- 
sciences as to what your verdict will be." 

Sir J. Mansfield shortly summed up. The 
prisoner was indicted for the murder of Mr. 
Perceval, a name dear to every Englishman, 
(here his lordship seemed much affected^) but 
the jury were to consider it as a case of the 
meanest subject. The law knew no distinc- 
tion of persons. They had to decide whether 
Mr. Perceval died by a pistol shot, — whether 
the prisoner fired that shot, — and whether he 
was in a sane . mind, so as to know what he 
was about when he fired? — His lordship 
concluded by telling the jur}^ that if the 
prisoner, at the time he fired the pistol^ knew 
right from wrong, he was a fit object for cri- 
minal justice. 

The jury withdrew for a quarter of an hour, 
and returned with a verdict of gidltij. 

The Recorder then, in impressive lan- 
guage, pronounced sentence of death on the 
prisoner, who was ordered to be hanged on 
Monday, and his body to be anatomized ; — 



252 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

a sentence which he heard with the utmost 
composure. 

The trial lasted eight hours. When the 
prisoner was put to the bar, he appeared a 
little affected, but not at all dismayed. He 
made a profound bow to the court, and waS 
altogether calm and collected. While at the 
bar he looked at the assembly with a curious 
eye. He was dressed in a brown great coat, 
yellow striped waistcoat, and nankeen trow- 
sers. After standing some hours he asked for 
the indulgence of a chair; the request was 
granted, and he seated himself, apparently, 
much at ease. He frequently took up some 
leaves which were strewed at the bar, which 
he often handled and smelled. During one 
of the pauses which occurred, he took an 
orange from his pocket and ate it. 

On Monday morning. May 18th, 1812, 
(the very day, of the preceding week, stained 
by his guilt,) the wretched man suffered the 
sentence awarded by the law. A vast 
assemblage of spectators witnessed the firm- 
ness with which he met his fate ; he appeared 
unshaken in spirit to his last moment. A 
number of persons in the crowd exclaimed, 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 25o 

'' God bless him ! God receive him !" kc. 
He Was hurried as it were out of the world, 
not being allowed above two minutes to re- 
main on the scaffold after he came out of 
NeM'gatc. And notwithstanding the public 
opinion was divided to know whether he 
would be executed before Newgate, in Palace 
Yard, or at Horsemonger Lane, gi'eat num- 
iDcrs of troops wert stationed near Smithfield 
and Blackfriar's Bridge; happily there was 
no occasion for their interference, though it 
was evident that by nine tenths of the people, 
this unfortunate culprit was looked upon 
more as a meritorious character than a male- 
factor, to which his pertinacity in refusing to 
acknowledge the criminality of the action, to 
his last moments, materially contributed ; 
notwithstanding he had been assailed by 
magistrates, ministers, and persons of all 
descriptions for that purpose. 

But though it seems Lord Leveson Gower 
did not come forward when the prisoner was 
living, to defend his conduct, yet when the 
man was dead and dissected, the following 
letter appeared in the public papers, addressed 
to Viscount Castlereagh, May 17th, 1812. 



254 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

'< Stanhope-Street, May 17th, 1812. 

" MY LORD, 

" It appears upon the trial of John Bellingham 
for the murder of Mr. Perceval, that the prisoner, 
in his defence, endeavoured to justify that atro- 
cious act on the ground of his Majesty's Govern- 
ment having refused to compensate him for the 
injuries and oppression he states himself to have 
suffered in Russia, during the time I had the 
honour of representing his Majesty in that country. 
He complained particularly of my conduct, and 
that of Sir Stephen Shairp, his Majesty's Consul- 
General, as having sanctioned, by our silence and 
neglect to interfere in his behalf, the unjust treat- 
ment, as he considered it, of the Russian Govern- 
ment. 

" I was subpoenaed by the prisoner to attend the 
trial ; I did attend, and expected anxiously to 
be called upon, to state, upon oath, all I could re- 
collect of the circumstances of his case in Russia. 
In this expectation, however, I v/as disappointed ; 
my testimony was not called forj and, after 
having heard the most serious accusation of gross 
neglect of duty and want of common humanity, 
brought forward by the prisoner, against myself 
and Sir Stephen Shairp, I had not the opportunity 
afforded me of publicly refuting those charges. 
Although I am perfectly aware that the assertions 
of a man, standing in the situation of Bellingham, 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 255 

can, unsupported by any other testimony, have no 
weight whatever with the sober and reflecting part 
of the public, yet I should be wanting, I think, to 
the interests and honour of the government of this 
country, as well as to my own character and reputa- 
tion, if I did not endeavour to do away any possible 
misapprehension upon this subject, by as ample a 
statement of the circumstances, as my memory, of 
transactions which passed some years ago, will allow 
me to furnish. 

" As you, my lord, are at the head of that depart- 
ment, under which I was employed, I conceive it to 
be my duty to address this statement to your lord- 
ship. 

" In the year 1805, I remember receiving a 
letter from John Bellingham, complaining of his 
being detained in a prison at Archangel, and claim- 
ing my protection, against what he conceived to 
be the injustice of the constituted authorities of 
that port ; I remember that immediately upon the 
receipt of this letter, I consulted with Sir Stephen 
Shairp, who agreed not only to write a letter to 
the Governor-General, requiring an explanation 
of the circumstances of which Bellingham com- 
plained, but also to his own mercantile corre- 
spondents, British residents at Archangel, for their 
opinion of the conduct of the Russian Government 
towards the complainant. 

'' It appeared from these enquiries, that Belling- 
ham having been engaged in commercial business 



256 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

with the house of Dorbecker and Co. pecuniary 
claims were made by each party against the other, 
and that these claims had been by the Governor- 
General referred for decision to four merchants, 
two British merchants being appointed on the part 
of BtUingham, and two other persons on the part of 
Dorbecker. By the award of those arbitrators, Bel- 
iingham was declared to be indebted to the assignees 
of Dorbecker the sum of two thousand roubles. This 
sum, Bellingham, notwithstanding this decision, re- 
fused to pay. 

" It also appeared from the communications re- 
ceived from Archangel, that a criminal suit had 
been instituted against Bellingham, by the ovvn- 
f^rs of a Russian ship, which had been lost in the 
White Sea. They accused him of having written 
an anonymous letter that had been received by 
the Underwriters in London, in which letter it 
was stated, that the insurance of that ship was a 
fraudulent transaction ; and payment for the loss 
of her had been in consequence resisted. No sa- 
tisfactory proof was adduced against Bellingham, 
and he was acquitted of this charge. — But be- 
fore the termination of this suit, he attempted to 
quit Archangel, and being stopped by the police, 
whom he resisted, he was taken to prison ; but was 
soon after liberated, in consequence, I believe, of a 
second application to the Governor from Sir Ste- 
phen Shairp. 

" Aboyt this period I quitted Russia, and I have 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 257 

no recollection of hearing any thing more of John 
Bellin^ham, till after my arrival at St. Peters- 
burgh upon my second embassy. He came run- 
ning into my house one evening, and solicited me 
to allow him to remain all night, in order to avoid 
being retaken into custody by the police, from 
whom he had escaped. I complied with this re- 
quest, though I could not, upon any ground, as- 
sume to myself the power of protecting him from 
legal arrest. It appeared that the award of the 
arbitrators of Archangel had been confirmed by 
the Senate, to which body Bellingham had ap- 
pealed ; and he was in consequence delivered over 
to the custody of the College of Commerce (a 
tribunal established for the special purpose of 
taking cognizance of commercial matters relating 
to British subjects, and whose authority was re- 
cognized in the commercial treaty between the two 
countries), there to remain till he discharged the 
debt of the two thousand roubles. This custody 
was not very strict, for he was allowed to walk 
wherever he pleased, attended by a police officer 
belonging to the college. He came frequently to 
my house, and at various times received from my 
private secretary small sums of money, to sup- 
port him during his confinement. Confined as he 
was by the legal authorities of the country, I cqulijj 
on no pretence make any application for his re- 
lease ; but I remember v/eil, in conversati,on,\vitji^ 
the Minister for foreign affairs^ expressing my 



^5S LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

personal wish that the Russian government, see- 
ing no prospect of recovering the sum of money 
fequired from him, would liberate him from pri- 
son, on condition of his immediately returning to 
England. 

"^ Very soon after this conversation, all diploma- 
tic intercourse ceased between the two Courts ; 
and the course of public events necessitated my 
quitting Russia in the abrupt manner with which 
your Lordship is well acquainted. I am, my Lord, 
v.'ith great respect, 

"" Your Lordship's most obedient, 

" Humble Servant, 

(Signed) " Granville Leveson Gower» 

'' The Viscount Castlereagh, &c. &c. &c." 

That a change in the administration would 
take place in consequence of Mr. Perceval's 
death was very ardently wished for and ge- 
nerally credited, none can doubt ; for before 
his remains were well deposited in the earth, 
some of his former coadjutors began to ex- 
pose his political weakness : of this class 
none had more weight than the following 
paper, which bore the name of Marquis 
Wellesley's Declaration, and made its first 
appearance in the Morning Chronicle. The 



THE RIGHT HOK. S. PERCUVAL. 259 

facts it contains, it must be allowed, are by 
no means creditable to the memory of the de- 
ceased Chancellor, especially those which re- 
late to his new Barrack system and the war in 
Spain. 

*' We believe it is no secret in the high political 
circles, though not generally known. A paper 
has been read (and indeed we have read it) which 
states, that the Noble Marquis felt it impossible 
for him to continue in office, because all his efforts 
for conducting the foreign department of our 
affairs with vigour and effect were counteracted 
and nullified by the influence of Mr. Perceval in 
the Cabinet. — The war in the peninsula, particu- 
larly, was not maintained with that energy which 
gave a chance to the skill of our commanders, and 
the gallantry of our troops, to make it successful. 
And here we may be allowed, by way of pa- 
renthesis, to state a fact not mentioned in the 
paper alluded to, but which has come to our 
knowledge— that some time ago Lord Wellington 
stated, that with the aid of a sum of 100,0001. the 
Spanish government would have been able to raise 
and equip an army for the defence of Gallicia, 
which would set free, at an auspicious moment, 
the whole of the British and Portuguese force, so 
as to enable him to advance to important offensive 
operations against the enemy-— but Mr. Perceval 
declared, in the most peremptory manner, that 



260 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

the state of our resources would not enable him to 
apply any such extra sum to the war in the penin- 
sula. And yet he soon after, in complacency to 
the prevailing taste at head-quarters, was quite 
ready to devote double the sum to the raising of 
extra barracks in the neighbourhood of London, 
Bristol, and Liverpool. Barracks certainly use- 
less at this time, when there are so few troops in 
the country, and not very constitutional at any 
time. — In every thing the Noble Marquis found 
himself crippled in the discharge of his functions, 
and in carrying into execution the measures 
which he conceived to be the best calculated, for 
the success of the great struggle in which we were 
involved ; and therefore, on the very day when 
Mr. Perceval proposed to bring in the Bill, for 
taking off the restrictions from the authority of 
the Regent, the Noble Lord laid his prayer before 
his Royal Highness, that he might be permitted to 
resign. He made known this determination to Mr. 
Perceval in a letter, which that Right Honourable 
Gentleman answered in terms ilattering to his 
Lordship. 

" The Prince Regent earnestly beseeched the 
Noble Marquis to continue in place for a time at 
least (the obvious meaning of which, we suppose, 
the Noble Lord could not mistake), and accor- 
dingly consented to hold the seals j but it was with 
no litde surprise that he le?,rnt that Mr. Perceval 
had, without communicating the fact to him, and 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 261 

while he continued, indeed, to observe towards 
him the forms of outward civility and confidence, 
made repeated applications to his Royal Highness 
to nominate a successor to Marquis Wellesley ; 
and had actually, at different times proposed to 
take his pleasure on the appointment of Earl 
Moira, of Lord Castlereagh, and of Lord Sid- 
mouth in his room. When this disingenuous 
proceeding came to the knowledge of the Noble 
Lord, he renewed his application to the Prince 
Regent to be permitted to resign. — His Royal 
Highness at length said, that he shoul(J hear his 
determination through Lord Eldon ; and two days 
after the seals were sent for. — The paper in ques- 
tion concludes with a declaration of the opinion 
of the Noble Marquis on the very inadequate ta- 
lents of Mr. Perceval to the station of Prime 
Minister, though he might possess abilities that 
fitted him for inferior situations in the State — that 
the Noble Marquis was resolved never again to 
act under Mr. Perceval j but he by no means had 
the desire or ambition to be Minister himself. On 
the contrary, he would be quite ready to act under 
others — ^imder such men for instance, as Earl Moira 
or Lord Holland — nor had he any objection to act 
with any persons — even ivith Mr. Perceval, but 
certainly not under him. 

" We mention the substance of this paper 
(which has been so long in circulation as to be 
no longer a secret at the West-end of the town), 



262 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

because it is fit, when there is talk of public ho- 
nours and of rewarding the services of Mr. Perce- 
val by a monument, to make known the sentiments 
of his most able and distinguished coadjutor, on his 
talents and conduct in office." 

This almost death-blow to the political 
consistency and consequence of the late 
Chancellor, was almost immediately follow- 
ed by the publication of the whole corres- 
pondence between the Earl of Liverpool, 
the Marquis Wellesley, and Mr. Canning. 



THE EIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 263 



PAPERS 

RD LIVERPOO 
LORD WELLESLEY. 

May ir, 1812. 

■wvvwvwwv 

(COPY)— No. 1. 

Note from Mr, Canning to Lord Wdlesley^ inclos- 
ing the Minute taken in Lord LinerpooVs pre- 
sence^ May 17, 1812. 

" Gloucester-Lodge, May 17, 1812. 

" MY DEAR WELLESLEY, 

" I inclose the Minute which I have taken in 
Lord Liverpool's presence of the proposal which 
he was charged to convey to me. 

" Ever, my dear Wellesley, 
*' Sincerely and affectionately your's, 

(Signed) " George Canning. 

'* P. S. I shall return a written answer to Lord 
Liverpool to-morrow." 



264 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 



(INCLOSURE)— No. 1. 

Minute of Conversation between Mr. Canning and 
Lord Liverpool^ dated \7th May^ 1812. 

" Gloucester-Lodge, Sunday, May 17, 1812. 

" Jl.ord Liverpool stated to me, that he was 
commanded by His Royal Highness the Prince 
Regent to make me the following communica- 
tion : — 

" That upon the melancholy event of Mr. Per- 
ceval's death, his Royal Highness being desirous 
of continuing his Administration upon its present 
basis, was desirous also of strengthening it as 
much as possible, by associating to it such per- 
sons in public life as agreed most nearly and ge- 
nerally in the principles upon which public affairs 
had been conducted. 

" That with this view his Royal Highness natu- 
rally looked to Lord Wellesley and to me. 

" That he (Lord Liverpool) was authorized to 
express the disposition of all his colleagues to act 
with Lord Wellesley and me, under an arrange- 
ment which might be at once consistent with their 
own honour and duty, and honourable and satisfac- 
tory to us. 

" That with respect to Lord Castlereagh, it 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 265 

was fair that it should be distinctly understood, 
that the situation in which he stands, both in this 
Government and in the House of Commons, was 
to be preserved to him. 

*' That with respect to official arrangements, he 
(Lord L.j would not have been the bearer of any 
proposition to me, but one which was understood 
as comprising my friends. In answer to a ques- 
tion put by me, Lord L. stated, that his col- 
leagues were desirous, that he should be appointed 
to the office of First Lord of the Treasury ; and 
that this desire was known to the Prince Regent, 
when his Royal Highness commanded Lord Liver- 
pool to undertake this communication. 

*' Lord Liverpool added, that he was ready to 
answer any other enquiry that I might wish to 
make : or to clear up any thing that he might 
have imperfectly explained. I said, that I thought 
it better to receive his communication just as he 
gave it me ; and to defer making any remark, or 
giving ary answer whatever, until I should have 
communicated it to my friends. Lord Liverpool 
himself undertaking to see Lord Wellesley. 

^' I would only, therefore, ask — Whether I was 
to consider the opinion and policy of the Govern- 
ment as remaining altogether unchanged upon the 
question relating to the laws affecting the Roman 
Catholics ? 

" Lord Liverpool answered, that his own opi- 
nions upon this subject remained unchanged ; and 
A a 



266 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

that he was not aware that those of his colleagues 
had undergone any change. 

" I then wrote this minute in Lord Liverpool's 
presence; which he read over, and suggested 
such corrections as appeared to him necessary for 
making it perfectly accurate. 

" (Signed) George Canning." 

May 17, 1812. 



No. II. 

Minute of Conversation between Lord Wellesley 
and Lord Liverpool^ 17th Mayyl812. 

" Apsley-House, inh May, 1812, 
" quarter past 5, p. m. 

" Lord Liverpool came to me immediately af- 
ter his visit to Mr. Canning, and remained with 
me for about half an hour. Soon after Lord Li- 
verpool's departure, I received the annexed paper 
from Mr. Canning^. 

" Lord Liverpool's conversation with me was 
substantially the same as that which is described 
to have passed with Mr. Canning. Any differ- 
ence which appeared, arose necessarily from my 
questions and observations, which were made 

* Vide Mr. Canning's Minute, No. 1. 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 267 

without knowledge of what passed between Lord 
Liverpool and Mr. Canning. After receiving 
Lord Liverpool's verbal communication, nearly 
in the terms stated by Mr. Canning, I enquired, 
(1st.) what was to be the policy of the Government 
with relation to the Roman Catholics ? To this 
question Lord Liverpool returned the same answer 
stated in Mr. Canning's paper to have been return- 
ed to a similar question. 

" 2dly, I observed to Lord Liverpool, that he 
was apprised of my opinion, that our efforts in 
the Peninsula had been conducted on an inadequate 
and imperfect scale, which could not be expected 
to accomplish the ultimate objects of the war in that 
quarter ; that I had for a long time considered an 
extension of our system in the Peninsula to be 
indispensably necessary, and easily practicable : 
that I was aware of the impropriety (in my present 
situation) of urging any detailed questions to Lord 
Liverpool on this point ; but, that I mentioned it 
now, because it must form a principal consideration 
in my answer to the proposition which he had 
brought to me. 

" Lord Liverpool said, that he did not agree 
in my opinion respecting the scale of the efforts 
which we had hitherto made in the Peninsula, 
which he thought as great as it had been possible 
to make ; that there never had been any limit to 
our exertions in that quarter, but what arose out 
of the question of practicability (that is, the 



268 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

means of increasing and supplying our armies) ; 
and that he had never heard any specific plan ify 
which those means might have been carried fur- 
ther, though the subject had been often most 
anxiou&ly considered in my presence ; that cir- 
cumstances had occurred since my resignation, 
which did not then exist, and into the particulars 
of which it would not be proper for him to enter 
at this time, which might enable Government to 
extend to a certain degree, the military operations 
in the Peninsula ; and the system of himself and 
his colleagues would be, as he contended they al- 
ways had been, to make the greatest efforts in the 
cause of the Peninsula which the resources of the 
country rendered possible. 

*' Sdly, I enquired whether all the general con- 
stituent parts of the present Cabinet were to re- 
main ? He informed me that they were in general 
to remain. He believed it was known to me, that 
some of the Members of the Cabinet had been long 
desirous of retiring, and would be ready, there- 
fore, now to afford facilities to my new arrange- 
ment. 

*' In answer to a question put by me respecting 
Lord Sidmouth and his friends, he said they were 
to remain. 

^' 4thly, I stated to Lord Liverpool, that I 
made no enquiry respecting the pro'posed distri- 
bution and allocation of offices ; because that cir- 
cumstance would not constitute the basis of my 



THB RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL, 269 

decision upon the proposition which he had 
brought to me. 

" Lord Liverpool observed, that the distri- 
bution of offices was a matter open to future ad- 
justment, to be regulated for the honour of all 
parties. 

** 5thly, When Lord Liverpool informed me, 
that the leading in the House of Commons was to 
be preserved to Lord Castlereagh, I remarked, 
that in any situation which I might ever hold in 
any Administration, I should feel great obligation 
to any Member of the Government who would 
undertake that charge, which was called the leading 
in the House of Parliament in which I sat j al- 
though I was fully aware of the great importance 
which that charge necessarily conveyed to the per- 
son who exercised it, and of the great influence 
which it must give to him in the general Adminis- 
tration and Patronage of the Government. 

" 6thly, I desired to know, whether all those 
persons now designated by the name of the *^ Op- 
position," were to be excluded from the proposed 
scheme of Administration. 

" Lord Liverpool answered, that no principle 
of exclusion was intended ; but that he was not 
authorized to make any proposal to any persons of 
the description which I had mentioned. 

" rthly. Considering the course which Lord 
Liverpool had observed in making this communi- 
cation, I asked him, whether he applied to me by 
A a2 



Q70 JUIFB AN3 ADMINI&TBA,TION OF 

command of the Prince Regent, as a part of Mr, 
Canning's suite ? I reminded Lord Liverpool of 
the constant and unabated exertions which I had 
made to open every avenue for the return of Mr. 
.Canning to the public service ; remarking at the 
same time, that I never had attempted to press 
that point beyond the honour and feelings of Mr. 
Perceval's Administration. I stated, that I could 
not consider any Administration to be constituted 
on a foundation of justice towards individual ta- 
lents and services, or towards the interests of 
the country, in which Mr. Canning should not 
hold a high efficient station. But I added, that 
Mr. Canning was under no engagement to me 
which could preclude his acceptance of any office 
which might be offered to him ; that, on the other 
hand, Mr. Canning would certainly make the 
same declaration with regard to my perfect free- 
dom. Lord Liverpool said, that he had pursued 
this course of communication, being convinced, 
that, under the present circumstances, I would not 
accept office, unless a fair proposal was made to 
Mr. Canning. I declared to Lord Liverpool, that 
he was correct in this view of my sentiments 
towards Mr. Canning ; repeating, however, that 
Mr. Canning and I were perfectly free to act as 
each might think fit, and that our agreement in 
many great public principles could not affect ques- 
tions of mere official arrangement. 

*' Sthly, I expressed my wish to receive this 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL, 271 

communication in writing ; to answer it in wri- 
ting ; and also to submit my sentiments upon the 
whole transaction in an audience of the Prince Re- 
gent. 

" Lord Liverpool informed nie, that Mr. 
Canning would transmit to me a copy of the 
Minute of Lord Liverpool's conversation tiikcn 
in his presence, and Lord Liverpool desired me 
to consider that paper=^ as the written communi- 
cation which I wished to receive. I agreed to 
Lord Liverpool's proposal on this point. I then 
informed Lord Liverpool, that I would return my 
answer in writing to that paper. Whatever 
might be the tenor of my answer, with regard to 
the great public considerations on which it mu^ 
be founded, I expressed my hope, that Lord 
Liverpool would be assured of my sincere per- 
sonal respect and esteem. I now transmit this 
Minute to Lord Liverpool, requesting him to 
insert any correction which he might think re- 
quisite. 

" (Signed) Wellesley." 

'-' May 18, 1812." 

*' Corrected by Lord Liverpool, and returned 
to me. 

" (Signed) Wellesley." 



Vide Mr. Canning's Minute, No. L 



272 LITE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

No. III. 

Note from Mr, Canning to Lord Wellesley^ enclO" 
sing a Letter to Mr. Canning from Lord Liver- 
pool^ relative to Lord Castlereagh, 
(COPY.) 
" Gloucester Lodge, Sunday night, 
" May 17, 1812. 

" MY DEAR WELLESLEY, 

" I have just received from Lord Liverpool a 
ktter, of which the enclosed is a copy. I trans- 
mit it to you to be added, according to his desire, 
to the copy of the minute of his verbal communica- 
tion of this morning. 

" Ever affectionately your's, 

" G. C." 



COPY in No. III. 
Lord Liverpool to Mr. Canning, 
(private.) 
« Fife-House, May ir, 1812. 

" MY DEAR CANNING, 

" I think, upon reflection, it is due to Lord 
Castlereagh to state, in writing, what I mention- 
ed to you verbally, that from motives of delicacy 
he absented himself from the Cabinet, on the oc- 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 273 

casions on which the subject in your Memorandum 
was tletermined. 

" I did not, however, make the communica- 
tion to you, without having reason to know that 
he would be no obstacle in the way of an ar- 
rangement, founded on the principles stated in 
the Memorandum. 

" I will beg of you to communicate this letter 
to any persons to whom you may communicate 
the Memorandum. 

" (Signed) Liverpool." 

" To the Right Hon. George Canning." 



Paper relative to Lord Liver pooVs Proposal to 
Mr. Cannings Blay 17, 1812. 

•' Gloucester Lodge, May 18, 1812. 

" MY DEAR LIVERPOOL, 

" I have communicated to such of my friends as I 
bad an immediate opportunity of consulting, the mi- 
nute, taken in your presence, of the proposition 
which you conveyed to me yesterday. 

" In a case in which I felt that my decision either 
way might be liable to misapprehension, I was desi- 
rous rather to collect the opinions of persons whose 
judgment I esteem, than to act on the impulse of my 
own first feelings. 



274 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

" The result of their opinions is, that by entering 
into the Administration upon the terms proposed to 
me, I should incur such a loss of personal and pub- 
lic character, as would disappoint the object which 
his Royal Highness the Prince Regent has at heart ; 
and must render my accession to his Government a 
new source of weakness, rather than an addition of 
strength. 

" To become a part of your Administration, 
with the previous knowledge of your unaltered 
opinions as to policy of resisting all consideration 
of the state of the laws affecting his Majesty's 
Roman Catholic subjects, would, it is felt, be to 
lend myself to the defeating of my own declared 
opinions on that most important question : opi- 
nions which are as far as those of any man from 
being favourable to precipitate and unqualified 
concession ; but which rest on the conviction that 
it is the duty of the advisers of the crown, with 
a view to the peace, tranquillity, and strength of 
the empire, to take that whole question into their 
early and serious consideration ; and earnestly to 
endeavour to bring it to a final and satisfactory 
settlement. 

" With this result of the opinions of those whom 
I have consulted my own entirely concurs ; and 
such being the ground of my decision, it is wholly 
unnecessary to advert to any topics of inferior im- 
portance. 

" After the expressions, however, with which 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 275 

you were charged on the part of all your col; 
leagues, I should not be warranted in omitting to 
declare, that no objection of a personal sort should 
have prevented me from uniting with any or all of 
them, in the public service, if I could have done 
so with honour ; and if, in my judgment, a Cabi- 
net so constituted in all its parts, could have af- 
forded to the country, under its present gi'eat and 
various difficulties, an adequately efficient Admin- 
istration. 

'^ I cannot deny myself the satisfaction of add- 
ing, that the manner of your communication with 
me has entirely corresponded with the habits and 
sentiments of a friendship of so many years ; a 
friendship which our general concurrence on many 
great political principles has strengthened, and 
which our occasional differences have in no degree 
impaired. 

" On the public grounds which I have stated, 
I must entreat you to lay at the feet of the Prince 
Regent, together with the warmest expressions of 
my dutiful attachment to his Royal Highness, and 
of my acknowledgement for the favourable opinion 
which his Royal Highness has been graciously 
pleased to entertain of me, my humble but earnest 
prayer to be excused from accepting office on terms 
which, by a sacrifice of public character, must ren- 
der me inefficient for the service of his Royal High- 
ness's Government. 

" I presume, at the same time, humbly to solicit 



276 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

an audience of the Prince Regent, for the purpose 
of explaining in person to his Royal Highness the 
grounds of my conduct, on an occasion on which I 
should be grieved to think, that his Royal Highness 
could, for a moment, consider me as wanting either 
in duty to his Royal Highness, or in zeal for the 
public service j and of assuring his Royal Highness 
that my ii^ability to assist in forwarding his Royal 
Highness's purpose of procuring strength to his Ad- 
ministratiorij on the plan which has been suggested 
by his Royal Highness's confidential servants, does 
not arise from any disposition, on my part, to shrink 
from the encounter of those difficulties which press, 
at this time, upon the country and upon the Crown. 
" I am &c. 
" (Signed) George Canning." 



No. IV. 



Copy of a Letter from 3Iarquis Wellesley to the Earl ^ 
of Liverpool^ transmitting Lord W.^s Reply to 
Lord Liver pooVs Proposal, 

" Apsley-House, May 18, 1812, 
half-past three, p. m. 

" MY DEAR LORD, 

" I enclose a paper, containing my reply to the 
communication which you were so kind as to 



THE RIGHT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 277 

make to me yesterday. Although I find myself 
compelled to decline the proposal which you con- 
veyed, I request you to accept my grateful thanks 
for the amicable and satisfactory manner in which 
you communicated with me: and to be assured, 
that I shall always entertain the most sincere and 
cordial sentiments of personal respect and esteem 
for you. 
*♦ Believe me, my dear Lord, 

" Most sincerely your's, 
" (Signed) Wellesley." 

'^ Earl of Liverpool." 



(INCLOSURE) No. IV. 

LdrdWelksky^s Reply to Lord Liverpoors 
PropositioTU 

** Apsley-House, May 18. 

*' From the communication received through 
Lord Liverpool,, I understand, that his Royal 
Highness the Prince Regent has been graciously 
pleased to signify his desire of strengthening his 
Administration upon its present basis, by asso- 
ciating me with it, as one of those persons who 
agree most nearly and generally in the principles 
upon which public affairs have been conducted. 

" From the same communication I also derive 
Bb 



278 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

the gratifying intelligence, that all Lord Liver- 
pool's colleagues have authorised him, to express 
a disposition to act with me, under an arrange- 
ment, consistent with their own honour and duty, 
and honourable and satisfactory to me. 

" I receive this notification of the Prince Re- 
gent's commands with every sentiment of duty 
and affection, while it affords me matter of just 
satisfaction, that, to the distinguished honour of 
such condescending notice from his Royal High- 
ness, is added so high a testimony of the confi- 
dence and esteem of all the respectable persons 
composing his present Administration. 

" With all humility towards the exalted autho- 
rity from which this proposition proceeds, and 
with the most sincere regard for those through 
whom it is conveyed, I must, however, declare, 
that I should have declined it at the first instant 
of its approach, if motives of deference and sub- 
missive attachment had not imposed upon me 
the obligation of receiving it with respectful con- 
sideration. 

. " The proposition necessarily rests upon a sup- 
position, that I entertain no such difference of 
public sentiment with the present Administration, 
as should preclude me from acting with them, 
under an arrangement compatible with our mu- 
tual and respective honour and duty. 

" But it appears from Lord Liverpool's candid 
and explicit statement, that upon the important 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 279 

question, which regards the laws affecting the Ro- 
man Catholics, Lord Liverpool's opinions remain 
unchanged ; nor is he aware, that the sentiments 
of his colleagues, on that subject, have undergone 
any change. 

" I must therefore conclude, that the policy 
which has been pursued respecting the Roman 
Catholics, during the present Session of Parlia- 
ment, is to be continued without abatement ; the 
general constituent parts of the present Cabinet 
are to remain unchanged ; the highest and most 
efficient offices in the State, therefore, are to be 
filled by persons who still conceive themselves to 
be bound by duty, honour, and conscience, not 
only to resist any mitigation of the present 
condition of the Koman Catholics, but even to 
prevent the consideration of the laws which 
affect that large portion of the population of the 
empire. 

" I cannot concur in the principle on which the 
present Administration has conducted this impor- 
tant branch of public affairs ; on this point, I have 
recently expressed the strongest difference of opi- 
nion with the present Administration. 

" The declaration of Lord Liverpool precludes 
the hope of any such change in the policy of the 
present Administration towards the Roman Ca- 
tholics as could satisfy my judgment. This diffe- 
rence is of the utmost importance : without any 
©ther obstacle, therefore, this alone compels me 



280 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

to decline the proposition which Lord Liverpool 
has conveyed to me. 

" I entertain a confident expectation, that when 
the Prince Regent shall have considered the nature 
of this difficulty, he will extend his indulgence 
to my humble representation, and will relieve me 
from the pressure of commands, which I could not 
obey without sacrificing a public principle of the 
highest obligation. 

** These observations comprise a sufficient re- 
ply to the communication received through Lord 
Liverpool. But I deem it to be a duty towards 
the Prince Regent to declare, that the considera- 
tions which induced me, on the 19th of February, 
to resign the station which I had the honour 
to hold in his Royal Highnesses service, ;h^ve 
acquired additional force since that time, and 
w^ould constitute an insuperable obstacle to my 
acceptance of any station in the present A^^fnUlis^ 
t ration. 

" I originally expressed my desire to withdraw 
from Mr. Perceval's Administration, because my 
general opinions, for a long time past, on various 
important questions, had not sufficient weight in 
that Cabinet, to justify me towards the public, 
or towards my own character, in continuing in 
office. 

" My objections to remaining in that Cabinet 
arose, in a great degree, from the imperfect scale 
on which the efforts in the Peninsula were con- 



r 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 281 

diirted. It was nlwaj-s stated tu mc, that it was im- 
practicable to enlarge that system. I thoughi that 
it was perfectly practicable to extend the plan in the 
Peninsula, and that it v/as neither sate nor honest to- 
wards this country or the allies to continue the pre- 
sent inadequate scheme. 

" From Lord Liverpool's statement upon this 
point, it is evident, that, since my resignation, it 
has been found practicable to make some exten- 
sion of the system in the Peninsula ; but it is still 
intimated, that my views are more extensive than 
the resources of the country can enable the Go- 
vernment to reduce to practice. I however still 
entertain the same views and opinions, without 
diminution or alteration ; and I am convinced, 
that a considerable extension of the scale of our 
operations in the Peninsula, and also an effectual 
correction of many branches of our system in that 
quarter, are objects of indispensible necessity, and 
of easy attainment. 

*^ With such a decided difference of opinion in re- 
lation to the conduct and management of the war, 
my return into a Cabinet composed as the present is, 
would oflVr to me no better prospect than the re- 
newal of discussions which have hitherto proved uri- 
avaiiing. 

" I learn from Lord Liverpool, that he has 
received no authority, in forming the intended 
Administration, to make any proposal to any of 
B b2 



282 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

those persons naw designated by the name of ^' The 
Opposition." 

" My enquiry on this point originated in a 
sincere conviction, (founded upon an attentive 
observation of the general state of public opinion, 
and of the condition of the empire,) that no Ad- 
ministration, which shall not comprise some of 
those persons, can prove advantageous to the 
Prince Regent, conciliatory towards Ireland, and 
equal to the conduct of the war on a scale of suf- 
ficient extent. 

" It has been stated erroneously, that the first 
act of the Prince Regent upon his approach to 
unrestricted authority, was to establish Mr. Per- 
ceval's administration : but the fact is, that his 
Royal Highnesses first act at that crisis was to 
dissolve Mr. Perceval's Administration ; and to 
endeavour to form a Cabinet upon a more ex- 
tended and liberal basis. This endeavour was 
frustrated at that moment, and the formation of 
such a Cabinet was represented to his Royal 
Highness to be impracticable. It has, however, 
since appeared evident to me, from the discussions 
and declarations which I have witnessed in Par- 
liament, that his Royal Highnesses benevolent 
intentions on that subject are now perfectly prac- 
ticable ; and that their accomplishment would 
tend to promote internal peace and tranquillity, 
and to invigorate the whole system of our exter- 
nal operaUons. 



, THE RCGHT HOK. &. PEHCEVA^. 283 

" Impressed with this sentiment, I should be 
untrue to his Royal Highness's interests and 
honour, as well as to the prosperity of the empire, 
if I concurred in any arrangement of an Admini- 
stration which did not include a fair and full con- 
sideration of this most important point. 

"After such a dispassionate consideration, my 
opinion is, that a Cabinet might be formed, on 
an intermediary principle respecting the Roman 
Catholic claims, equally exempt from the dangers 
of instant, unqualified concession, and from those 
of inconsiderate, peremptory exclusion ; the en- 
tire resources of the empire might be applied to 
the great objects of the war with general con- 
sent, upon a full understanding of the real exi- 
gency of the present crisis ; and concord and 
union at home might secure ultimate and perma- 
nent success abroad. 

*' (Signed) Wellesley." 



To the Marquis Welles ley. 

" Fife-House, May 19, 1812. 

" MY DEAR LORD, 

** After the receipt of the paper v/hich you sent 
to me in the afternoon of yesterday, I should cer- 
tainly have felt it to be unnecessary and fruitless 
to trouble you with any further correspondence, 
if I were not desirous to correct the misapprehen- 



284 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

sion into which you appear to have fallen respect- 
ing my opinions, and those of my colleagues, upon 
the Roman Catholic question. 

" In the communication which passed between 
us on Sunday, as well as that which I previously 
had with Mr. Canning, I certainly stated my opi- 
nions upon the Roman Catholic question to re- 
main unchanged, and that I was not aware that 
those of my colleagues had undergone any 
change. 

*' With respect to myself individually, I must 
protest against its being inferred from any decla- 
ration of mine, that it is, or ever has been, my 
opinion, that under no circumstances it would be 
possible to make any alteration in the laws re- 
specting the Roman Catholics. 

" Upon the last occasion on which the subject 
was discussed in Parliament, 1 expressly stated 
that circumstances might arise, in which, in my 
judgment, some alteration in those laws would be 
advisable. I have always been desirous of hear- 
ing the specific proposition which should explain 
distinctly, what part of the existing securities it 
was intended to repeal — v.- hat part it was intended 
to preserve, and what were the new securities 
whifh it has been so often declared must be sub- 
stituted in the place of some of those, which are at 
present in force. 

" I liave never heard any satisfactory explana- 
tion on this point. 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 285 

" I will fairly own, that in the present state of 
the opinions and feelings of the Roman Catho- 
lics, I do not believe such a project to be practi- 
cable, consistently with the attainment of the 
avowed objects of really satisfying the Roman 
Catholics, and of aifording an adequate security 
to the Established Church and Constitution. 

" Entertaining this opinion, I have felt it to be 
my duty to continue to resist a Parliamentary In- 
quiry on that subject, which, in my judgment, 
could be productive of no other effect than that 
of alarming the Protestants on the one hand, 
and of deluding and deceiving the Roman Ca* 
tholics on the other. 

** With respect to the opinions of my col- 
leagues, there are some who entirely agree with 
me in the view which I have taken of this ques- 
tion ; but I am sure it must be known to you, 
from discussions at which you have been present, 
that there are others who have always entertained 
and avowed different opinions from those profess- 
ed by me upon some parts of this subject. 

" You must recollect, that considerations of a 
very high importance, but which might be only 
temporary in their nature, induced us all, up to 
a very late period, to be decidedly of opinion, that 
it was not proper that under such circumstances 
the measure should be entertained. 

" You may be of opinion that since the month 
of February last these considerations have ceased 



286 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION' OF 

to be in force. But they are still regarded by 
others as not having lost their weight. Besides 
the considerations to which I have referred, the 
conduct and temper which the Roman Catholics 
have been induced to manifest, the principle upon 
which the question has been brought forward, the 
circumstances of Europe at this time give rise to 
objections which are felt in a greater or less de- 
gree by different persons. 

" I have thought this explanation due to my 
colleagues and to myself. 

" In one point we are all agreed, that this is not 
the moment at which the question ought to be en- 
tertained, with a view to any immediate practical 
consequence. I am aware, that in this sense of 
our duty, our opinions may be at variance with 
your's ; but it is material that these opinions 
should not be misunderstood, or subject to the in- 
terpretation to which my silence might render 
them liable, if I had not returned some answer to 
that part of your paper. 

" Upon the subject of the manner in which the 
war in the Peninsula has been managed, I forbear 
entering into any particulars at present ; but I 
think it material to observe, with respect to my 
declaration, that since your resignation it had 
been found practicable to make some extension of 
the military efforts in the Peninsula, that this has 
not arisen from any means which were in exist- 
ence at the time when you were in office, and 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 287 

which there had been then any indisposition or ob- 
jection to direct to that object, but it has grown out 
of events which have subsequently occurred, and 
which may place at the disposal of Government, 
means which were at that time unavoidably applied 
to another service. 

" As this letter is merely explanatory, I will not 
give you the trouble of returning any answer to it j 
but I am sure you will see the justice and propriety 
of considering it as a part of the correspondence 
which has passed between us on the subject to which 
It relates. 

" I am, &c. 
" (Signed) Liverpool." 

*' Marquis Wellesley, K. G." 



Copy of Lord Wellesley'* s Reply to Lord Liver pooVs 
Explanatory Letter of the 19th May^ 1819. 
(COPY.) 
" Apsley House, May 21, 1812. 

" MY DEAR LORD, 

" Although you have had the goodness to dis- 
pense with my returning any answer to your let- 
ter of the 19th instant, some further observations 
on my part may perhaps contribute to promote 
the professed object of that letter, by explaining 
and correcting whatever may appear doubtful or 



288 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

erroneous in the course of our recent correspond- 
ence* 

" When you informed mc^ that your opinion 
upon the claims of the Roman Catholics remained 
unchanged, and that you were not aware of any 
change in the opinion of your colleagues on that 
subject, I certainly concluded, that the policy, 
which has been pursued, during the present ses* 
sion of Parliament, would be continued by the new 
Cabinet: subsequent reflection satisfies me, that 
such a conclusion was just and reasonable ; nor 
can I admit, that I have fallen into any misappre- 
hension of that system of policy, when I have de- 
scribed it as consisting, not only in the denial of 
any present relief to the Roman Catholics, but even 
a peremptory refusal to consider the state of the law 
which affects their civil condition. 

" Whatever may be the different character or 
complexion of the opinions of the several Members 
of the present Cabinet, the practical result has been 
to pursue the course which I have described, during 
the present session of Parliament ; and your expla- 
nation on this point closes with an admission, that 
you are all agreed to continue the same policy in the 
present moment. 

" No suggestion is made of the time or circum- 
stances, in which any alteration of this system of 
policy can be expected ; no prospect is afforded of 
any conciliatory proceeding, which might tend to 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 289 

Open the v/ay to an amicable settlement ; and, while 
I desire of hearing specific propositions of security 
is professed, the very consideration of the question, 
is denied to Parliament, and is not pursued by any 
other authority. 

*-^ This statement is no misapprehension of the 
tenor of your explanatory letter ; and in such a. 
state of the practical consequences of the united 
Councils of the present Cabinet, it maybe deemed 
superfluous to analyze individual sentiments. 

^' This task (however useless with regard to pre- 
. nt practice) is required from me, by the strong 
protest wliich you have made against any inference 
to be drawn from any declaration of your's, * that 
' it is, or ever has been your opinion, ^that under 
' no circumstances it would be possible to make any 
' alteration in the laws respecting the Roman Ca- 
' tholics.' To this protest you have added an assu- 
rance, ' that upon the lasf: occasion, on which the 
' subject was discussed in Parliament, you expressly' 
* stated that circumstances rrjght arise, in which,' 
' in your judgment, some alteration In those laws 
' would be advisable.' 

" I confess freely to you, that! had always un-^' 

dt-rstood your recorded opinion on this subject in 

a very different sense: T had supposed, that you 

considered the disabilities imposed by Statute upon 

the Roman -Catholics, not as temporary and 

ccasional securities, against a temporary 'and 

ccasiohal danger, but as an integral and perma- 

c c 



290 LIF13 AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

nent part of the Constitution in Church and State, 
established at the Revolution. 

" In this opinion, I had always understood, that 
several of the principal Members of the present 
Cabinet concurred with you ; and that you felt, 
in common, an apprehension, that the removal of 
any important part of this system of restraint 
would endanger the foundations of the Estab- 
lishment of our Laws, Liberties, and Re- 
ligion. 

" Viewing in this light your sentiments, and 
those of the respectable persons to whom I refer, 
I am persuaded, that I shall not be suspected of 
intending to cast any reflection upon the honour or 
honesty of those principles, or of the persons who 
maintain them. 

" I have ever considered those principles to be 
pure and honest in the minds in which I supposed 
them to reside ; and, while I gave full credit to their 
sincerity, I lamented their erroneous foundation and 
dangerous tendency. 

** I must further declare, that, from some acci- 
dent, I did not hear the Statement in Parliament to 
which you refer, as having b?en made by you, on the 
last occasion, in the House of Lords. 

" I now, however, understand your opinion to be, 
that circumstances may arise., in which, in your 
judgment, some alteration would be advisable in the 
Laws affecting the Roman Catholics. 



THE RIGHT HON. 9. PfiRCEVAL. 291 

" I should be desirous of urging the same in- 
quiry respecting circumstances^ which you have 
made respecting seciirkies ; and I should be anxi- 
ous to hear the specific statement of a//y vr ajiy of 
those circumstances^ under which you would ad- 
vise any alteration in the Laws respecting the 
Roman Catholics. 

" The explanation which you require, respect- 
ing securities, is attainable, only by a full consi- 
deration and discussion of the whole subject ; and 
I therefore view the declared intention of resisting 
the first step towards such a discussion, as an 
effectual barrier against that explanation, which 
you consider to be the necessary preliminary to 
any alteration in the existing Statutes. 

'' The details of your reasoning on this part of 
the question, render the prospect of any settle- 
ment utterly hopeless : you require a change in 
the state of the opinions, feelings, conduct, and 
temper of the Roman Catholics, as a preliminarv 
even to the consideration of the causes of their 
tomplaints. But is it possible to expect effec- 
tual change in the temper of the Roman Catholic 
Body, while you refuse even to inquire if^to the 
nature of their grievances ? 

*' The repeated rejection of their claim, with- 
on.t any other deliberation, than that which has 
arisen on the mere question of taking the Peti- 
tion into consideration, is not a course of pro- 



292 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

eeeding calculated to mitigate the severity of dis- 
appointment. 

*' Reason and moderation must^ appear in our 
consideration of their prayer, if we hope to in- 
fuse those qualities into their proceedings. 

" You require, also, a change in the circum- 
stances of Europe. ' Ignorant of the events 
which may have furnished any hope of such a 
change, since I hitd the honour of a share in his 
Royal Highness's Councils, I must consider the 
determination to delay this interesting question, 
until Europe shall have assumed a new aspect, as 
a virtual negative upon the substance of the 
Claim ; and I feel this point with a greater de- 
gree of pain, because I am convinced that the 
continuance of Ireland in her present condition, 
must protract, if not perpetuate, the present un- 
happy condition of Europe. 

" But, until these preliminaries shall have been 
established, you declare, that it will be your 
duty to resist Parliamentary Inquiry ; which in 
your judgment could be productive of no other 
effect, than to alarm the Protestants, and to de- 
lude the Roman Catholics. At the same time, 
you offer no hope, that the means of relief will 
be opened by any other authority. 

" I cannot understand, through what channel 
of reason or passion, the Protestants should be 
alarmed, or the Catholics deluded, by a full and 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAL. 295 

fecting the latter body. Indeed, I cannot conceive 
any proceeding so likely to remove alarm, and to 
prevent delusion, as that which appears to you likely 
to create both. 

" You refer to considerations of a ' very high 
importance^ which, until a very late period of 
time, have precluded the executive government 
and parliament from entertaining this measure ; 
and you suggest, that in the opinion of some per- 
sons these considerations have not lost their 
weight. 

" I presume, that you refer to the known senti- 
ments of the most exalted and venerable authority 
in these realms, on the claims of his Majesty's Ro- 
man Catholic subjects. 

*' As your letter seems to bear some reference to 
the course of my conduct in parliament, and in his 
Majesty's councils on this subject, I avail myself of 
this opportunity to explain the motives both of my 
former silence and of the recent declaration of my 
sentiments. 

" At the remote period of the year 1 797', upon 
the eve of my departure for India, I stated to the 
late Mr. Pitt my solicitude that he should direct 
his attention to the settlement of Ireland ; and I 
expressed to him my conviction that Ireland could 
neither be happily settled nor firmly united to 
Great Britain, without a concurrent settlement of 
the claims of his Majesty's Roman Catholic sub- 
jects, 

c c2 



294 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION 01 

" The opinions, which I declared to Mr. Pitt, at 
that time, respecting the substance of those claims, 
were precisely similar to those which I have stated 
in the House of Lords, during the present session of 
parliament. 

" It is not necessary to enter into any review of 
the transactions which passed during my absence in 
India, with relation to Ireland, or to the claims of the 
Roman Catholics. 

" I arrived from India in the month of Januar\% 
1806; and, after one short interview with Mr. Pitt, 
I assisted in performing the last sad office of follow- 
ing his remains to the grave. 

" You are aware, that long before that period of 
time the ' hig'h consideration^^ to which you refer 
had been fixed in full force; that no attempt to 
change those sentiments could have been made with 
any prospect of success ; and that the result even of 
a successful proceeding in parliament would have 
tended only to produce the most dreadful extremity 
of confusion. 

" You must remember, that I have always lament- 
ed (as serious national calamities, menacing the con- 
stitution of the monarchy) the reference which has 
necessarily been made to the existence of those per- 
sonal sentiments, and the causes which have occa- 
sioned that necessity. 

" With the warmest sentiments of personal 
veneration, attachment, and gratitude, my opinion 
ha§ always been, that the duty of loyalty and 



THE KIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAL. 295 

ulTcction towards a British sovereign does not 
consist in submissive obedience, even to the honest 
prejudices or errors of the royal mind, but rather 
in respectful endeavors to remove those preju- 
dices and errors by free advice in council, and by 
temperate remonstrance in parliament. 

" But the time for such endeavours had passed • 
and I submitted, reluctantly, not to my sense of 
the genuine duty of a faithful counsellor towards 
his sovereign, but to the painful, and, by me, irre- 
versible necessity of the case. 

" This is a subject of the utmost — of the most 
perilous delicacy. Your letter has opened it— I 
Avill pursue it no farther than to assure you, that 
when, on the 31st of January, I declared, in the 
House of Lords, my sentiments respecting the 
Roman Catholic claims, the necessity which had 
occasioned my silence appeared to me to have 
entirely ceased. 

" The second 'point of your explanatory letter 
refers to the management of the war in the Penin- 
sula. 

" Your suggestions are necessarily indistinct 
with regard to the additional means (which have 
occurred since my resignation) of extending our 
military efforts in that quarter. I think I can 
collect, even from your hints, that although those 
means are extraneous, the probability of their 
existence might have been foreseen as the natural 



296 Lll £ AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

result of instructions which were in progress oi 
execution previously to my resignation. 

" But my objection to the system pursued in 
the Pe^iinsula, at the time of my resignation, was 
applied to the whole frame and fabric of our per- 
manent arrangements, both in Portugal and Spain, 
which, in my judgment, must be corrected and 
extended, not 'only with a view to the advantageous 
use of such means as we now possess in the 
Peninsula, but even of such adventitious and 
extraneous means as events in other quarters may 
place at our disposal. 

" Believe me, my dear Lord, 

" Always your's, most sincerely, 

(Signed) WELLESLEY." 

The Earl of Liverpool, £sfc. ^c. ^c'' 

That weakness and inefficiency in the 
cabinet, and their declining consequence in 
the eyes of the country at large, which had 
been long suspected, it would seem only 
waited for the circumstance of Mr. Perceval's 
demise, as it were, to proclaim it at noon- 
day. It was the inevitable fate of his coad- 
jutors, who had long been distrusted by the 
people^ now to be distrusted by iht parliament 



THE lUGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 297 

also, Mr. Stuart. Wortley, who gave no- 
tice of a motion in the House of Commons 
on Wednesday, May 20, brouglit this for- 
ward the next evening, namely, 

^'That an humble address be presented to his 
Royal Highness the Prince Regent, praying, that 
he would be graciously pleased to take such mea- 
sures as are best calculated to tlie promotion of a 
strong and efScient 'administration/' 

This was seconded by Lord Milton, and 
opposed by Mr. Eyre, Mr. Wilberforce, 
Lord Castlcrcagh, Mr. Ryder, and other 
members in the habit of voting with the late 
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and supported 
by Sir Francis Burdett, who said that his 
opinion was, that under the present circum- 
stances no change of men whatever could 
be productive of any lasting benefit to the 
state, ^vithout a thorough change of measures 
altogether. — The Honourable Bart, was de- 
sirous of taking a short retrospect in relation 
to the subject now more particularly before 
the House. We had, within these few 
yeai-s, had administrations \'ery differently 
constituted. We had had administrations 
ncludvi^^ as was suppo^rcd, all the talents of 



29B LIFE AND ADxMINISTRATION OF 

the countiy — and we had had administra- 
tions excluding^ as was also supposed, all the 
talents of the country. We had, for many- 
years, at the head of the government a 
gentleman of most transcendant abilities, he 
meant Mr. Pitt, and yet it was a very 
general opinion,, in which he (Sir F. Bur- 
dett) could not but concur, that he (Mr. 
Pitt) was one of those who had brought 
down on the country the mass of calamities 
from which it was now found to be so difficult 
to extricate us. The country had since had 
at the head of its affairs that Right Hon. 
Gentleman's no less able opponent (Mr. 
Fox), but still our situation was not changed 
for the better. We had had administrations, 
in short, of every description, and of every 
character and profession j but stiil, from the 
system which had never ceased to be acted 
on, the evils under which we laboured, in- 
stead of being alleviated, had augmented, 
and our burthens had gone on encreasing 
and accumulating daily. When he consi- 
dered ail this, he (Sir Francis Burdett) could 
not agree in thinking that the motion now 
made by the Honourable Member (Mr, 
Stuart Wortiey), and which he seemed to 



THE BIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. ^99 

regard as a specific for all the evils we suffer- 
ed, namely, an address to the Prince Regent 
to form a strong and efficient administration, 
would have the effect of answering the ob- 
ject in view. He therefore proposed an 
amendment, namely — Imploring his Royal 
Highness, in the forming of a new adminis- 
tration, to select men whose chief object 
should be to apply the resources of the nation 
to national purposes ; who were actuated by 
feelings of toleration in religious opinions, par- 
ticularly with respect to the Roman Catholics 
of Ireland ; and above all, who should sup- 
port such a reform as would ensure to the 
countr\', a full, fair, and free representation of 
the people in parliament. 

The Hon. Mr. Ward supported the right 
of the House to advise the crown as by no 
means contrary to precedent. As to another 
point, weakness in the administration^ it 
would, no doubt, be a disagreeable task to 
go from man to man — from office to office — 
pointing out in what that weakness consisted. 
This was a task, therefore, which he should 
spare himself, for it was one of almost uni^ 
versal feeling. He was suq>rized, indeed, 
that gentlemen should allege that there could 



300 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

be a doubt on this head, after the loss of Mr. 
Perceval. They \vere lately told, 'such were 
the talents, such was the popularity of Mr.. 
Perceval, that he was sufficient to make up 
for every other deficiency. That being the 
case, he thought it was rather an ill compli- 
ment paid by gentlemen on the other side to 
their departed friend, who had been judged, 
and justly so, the head of their administration, 
and the man of most talent among them, 
that they could venture to go on without any 
person to make up his loss, and to persevere 
in the same principles, with means so little 
adequate to give effect to them. He had 
been told of an attempt having been made to 
bring over a gentleman of great talent and 
eloquence, and also a Noble Marquis (Mar- 
quis Wcllesley), a member of the other 
House, to accept of situations in the 
cabinet: — an attempt, in his opinion, more 
absurd and more insincere on the part 
of the present cabinet, v»^hich would have 
bolS^nore disgraceful to the Right Honour- 
able Gentleman and Noble Marquis had they 
accepted of it, than an attempt of a similai' 
nature made in February last ! The Noble 
Marquis and Right Honourable Gentleman 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 301 

had been invited to surrender their principles, 
character^ and the pledges they had come 
under ; and to subscribe to principles di- 
rectly hostile to those which they had de- 
clared some months ago. 

Mr. Ryder thought that in agreeing to the 
present motion, the House would be acting 
against one of the most undoubted prero- 
gati^'es of the cro\Mi. After paying Lord 
Liverpool, the Noble Lord now at the head 
of the administration, a high compliment, 
Mr. Ryder said, he was not now a member 
of the administration, not being a member of 
the new cabinet. Here, Avith the view of 
censuring Mr. Canning, he added, that 
having said so he must declare, that the offers 
made to his Right Honourable Friend (Can- 
ning) were made with the \\ish and hope 
that they would be accepted. He should 
not now enter into the grounds of the propo- 
sition, but he must say, that it was made with 
perfect sincerity : and as to the motion of 
which he (Mr. Canning) had given notice, 
the necessity of it must immediately have 
ceased on his comhig into office, as it would 
then have become his duty to call the atten- 
tion of his colleagues to that measure. That 

Dd 



302 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

motion, therefore, would not of itself have 
been sufficient to have prevented him from 
acceding to the proposition. He was aware 
that his Right Honourable Friend (Canning) 
had expressed a recent opinion, that the Ca- 
tholic question ought to be brought forward 
as a ministerial measure. If he retained and 
insisted on that opinion, that indeed would 
have proved a bar to his Right Honourable 
Friend's admission into the present ministry. 
If his Right Hon. Friend would or would 
not have pressed his newly entertained opi- 
nion, he (Mr. Ryder) did not know ; but 
this he did know, that the proposition made 
to his Right Hon. Friend was made sin- 
cerely ; and that the government felt extreme 
regret, on finding that he could not be 
brought to strengthen their administration. 
As to the efficiency of the Noble Lord now 
at the head of the administration, he should 
only say that it had been declared by Mr. 
Pitt, some time previous to his death, that 
there was not a man in the ranks of opposi- 
tion better qualified for the management of 
public affairs than that Noble Lord in point 
of talents, integrity, or character, with the 
exception only of Mr. Fox. As to the 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 303 

motion now made by his Honourable Friend 
(Mr. Wortley), he (Mr. Ryder) could not 
conceive how his Honourable Friend could 
reconcile it to the votes he had been accus- 
tomed to give. 

Here Mr. Canning, in reply to Mr Ryder 
and Wilberforce, drew such a picture of the 
cabinet as could scarcely fail reminding a 
reader of Shakspeai-e, of betraying 

" The secrets of the prison house." 

In allusion to a member who, in the early 
part of the debate, moved that the other or- 
ders of the day be read, 

" I wish," said Mr. Canning, " previously to 
say a word or two upon the nature of his amend- 
ment. — What, Sir, are we come to this T How is 
an unprecedented motion, shaking the veiy foun- 
dations of the throne — aiming a deadly blow at tho 
prerogative of the crown, inverting the march of 
the constituent pov/ers of the state, met by the 
administration ? By an amendment, proposing 
the reading of the other orders of the day — 
{Hear^ Hear!) They do not come forward 
boldly maintaining the principles of the constitu- 
tion, demanding that such an unheard-of motion 
shall be deliberately investigated with closed 
doors, and exclaiming, ' Down with the auda- 



304 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

cious innovator !' — but they content themselves 
with vQvy simply moving the orders of the day ! 
This too, be it never forgotten, by a government 
^vhich calls upon the House and the country to 
declare that they are strong, efficient, and fully 
competent to conduct the arduous duties of the 
state in these most arduous times — ( Hear^ 
Hear!) This specimen, I think, will be allow- 
ed to be a fair indication of what we may here- 
after expect from their boasted ability and vigour. 
The allusion which I noticed as being liable to 
misconstruction was made in the early part of 
the speech of the mover of this celebrated amend- 
ment, where he stated that I had demanded some 
concessions of principle as the price of my accep- 
tance of office. 

" To refute this assertion, I beg leave to refer 
liim and the House to my recorded opinion. I 
merely inquired of Lord Liverpool, as a matter 
of information, whether the policy and sentiments 
of his colleagues continued the same, and I was 
answered by my Noble Friend with thfe candour 
that has distinguished him in every part of these 
transactions, as well as through life, that his own 
opinions upon this grand topic remained un- 
changed, and he was not aware that those of his 
colleagues had undergone any alteration. I here 
once more protest, and protest complainingly, that 
I have thus been dragged into a reconsideration 
of the subject, and I hope the House will not 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 305 

forget that I have been far from seeking the occa- 
sion. — {Heary hear !) — When I was thus nvfontied 
of the settled and confirmed opinions of the head 
of the Government, honoured with the chief 
confidence of the Sovereign, and possessing all 
the influence and authority which that ostensible 
situation affords, could I doubt for an instant their 
efficacy with other Members of the Cabinet ? Could 
I hesitate as to their operation upon any attempt 
at a practical proceeding ? My Right Honourable 
Friend (Ryder) tells me, that if I would have con- 
sented to have formed a part of the Administration 
to be established, the motion of which I have 
given notice would have been wholly unnecessary. 
I would ask any rational being what would be the 
result ? I should have moved it in the Cabinet to 
be beaten there, instead of moving in the Com- 
mons to be beaten here ; I should consider myself 
bound rather to move it here, and to be beaten 
here (Jiear /), and for this obvious reason, tliat it 
might appear to the public that the pledge I had 
given had not been forfeited, and that I had used 
my best exeitions to carry my object into execu- 
tion. I have never stated an opinion, nor do I 
hold it, that concessions to the Catholics, unre- 
stricted and unguarded, were either politic or 
just. — Other honourable men may entertain con- 
scientiously different sentiments, but i am bound 
only by my own, and those have always been ut- 
tered in one direction. 

D d 2 



306 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

" When my Right Honourable Friend spoke ai' 
opinions that I had recently adopted, I apprehend 
he cannot mean to state that they are such as I have 
not long held, and such as he has known that I 
have long held. He says they are recently adopted. 
I say 1 have not recently adopted them — I have 
ever entertained them, but I have often avowed 
in this House, that on a fair comparison of con- 
flicting duties, while the third branch of the Con- 
stitution was hostile to the measure, I thought it 
better for the country, better for the cause, better 
for Ireland, and better for the Catholics themselves, 
that I should raise my feeble shield between the 
Crown and the question. I felt it my duty at that 
period not to hazard the peace of the Empire, 
and the peace of mind of a venerable Sovereign. 
1 maintain then, that the Right Honourable Gen- 
tleman has no right to say that these opinions with 
me are of recent adoption {hear^ hear!) It is, 
however, a little too much to expect, that because 
I then yielded to the conscience of a Sovereign, I 
sho'ild now yield to the convenience of a Minis- 
ter (Jiear^ hear^ hear /) For my conduct on this 
subject I have long laboured under misconstruc- 
tion and obloquy, and I protest that I would have 
suffered under it with patience to the last hour of 
ray life, rather than have sown with thorns the pil- 
low of my Sovereign. It is, however, rather an 
unreasoiKtble ex[jectation, that I should approve 
of the policy of a Minister because I had sub- 



THE RIGHT HON. 9. PERCEVAL. 307 

mitted to the irremovable conscience of a King. I 
should not have been less scrupulous with regard 
to the sentiments of my late much lamented friend, 
and shall I now submit to the prejudices of an in- 
dividual who has succeeded him at the head of af- 
fairs, and whose opinions nearly, though not per- 
haps entirely, coincide with those of the Right Ho- 
nourable Gentleman now no more ? Personal ob- 
jections to the Noble Lord, I declare I have none ; 
I am actuated by no feeling of rivalry, and with this 
particular question excepted, I could have no earthly 
hesitation either in acting with, or under him ; but 
I cannot allow, that the predominance of his opi- 
nion shall stifle mine. — (^Heor^ hear J)--^! cannot 
enter the Cabinet, pretending not to know, that 
the influence of the Noble Lord will be such as to 
parallze all my feeble efforts there. 

** But do I therefore demand concessions to my 
opinions ? None ! all I ask is, that the subject shall 
be fairly and deliberately considered, with a view 
to the arrival at some practicable conclusion, and 
that it should be investigated where alone it can 
be done, with the hope of a favourable result, in 
the Cabinet. My desire was, not to obtain con* 
cessions, but to asccriain to what extent conscien- 
tious men in the discharge of a public trust would 
go ; it was to this consummation that my anxiety 
was directed : I required only that the important 
topic should be considered — the question demands 
it — you ought to give it — and I will add, that ere 



308 LIFE AI^TD ADMINISTRATION OF 

long you must give it. — (^Hear^ hear /, — As 'an- 
other opportunity wil: shortly be afforded me of 
more minute explanation, I have not now at- 
tempted more than to free myself from the misre- 
presentations of which the Honourable Mover, I 
am certain, and my Right Honourable Friend, I 
hope, were unintentionally guilty. My Right Ho- 
nourable Friend (Mr. Ryder} has put to me a most 
unfair question, but since it has been proposed I 
will answer it. He inquires whether I have not 
seen a statement of the opinions entertained by 
the Cabinet upon the subject of the Catholic 
Claims ? I have seen it. ^ I do not like to speak in 
disrespectful terms of any paper evidently the pro- 
duction of great labour and study, but I am con- 
pelled to notice it ; for here, again, I would en- 
treat the House to bear in mind thai I have not 
courted this discussion. I would admit that the 
abolition of the Jesuits completely exonerates 
that order, but such a satisfactory pledge of 
what a Cabinet intended to do, I never saw. 
Not one of the Members agreed in opinion, 
and I thought that it would be little consola- 
t;jon that another individual should enttr the Ca- 
binet with yet another shade of differenc^. {Hear^ 
hear /) I imagined, before I obtained a sight of the 
document referred to, that it comprized all the 
philosophical principles combined, that all the 
light of abstract reasoning on the question were 
there concentrated to a point, but, after perusing 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 309 

it with the utmost attention, I returned it with a 
note, written in perfect good humour, stating, that 
as far as I could judge, it appeared to me to be of 
a controversial nature. — (//tr/r, licar^ and langii .') 
— Such was the answer, which, in perfect simpli- 
city of heart, I returned yesterday — but to what 
did it amount ? Practically to this, as far as I could 
comprehend it ; but, indeed, it is unfair to impute 
to the Cabinet any opinion, because, collectively, 
it has none, and the retrospective influence upon 
my mind (for I did not see this curious production 
until after the negociation had been closed), was, 
that if I had joined this hortus siccus of dissent, as 
Mr. Burke once termed it, we should have formed 
as beautiful a variety as was ever assembled in so 
small a collection. — (Hear, and laughter!') — But 
amidst such unprecedented diiferences, on which 
side is the influence and authority of Government 
enlisted ? That is the main question ; this man 
may hold a blue opinion, another a white, a third 
a green, a fourth a yellow, and a fifth a red, but 
with which of these shades does the sentiment of 
(government most nearly accord ? Undoubtedly 
this point ^ill be decided by the individual, who, 
holding the principal office, pre-eminently enjoys 
the confidence of the occupant of the Throne, and 
the additional weight he would add to the scale 
must overbalance the remainder. I could not, 
therefore, feel that I entered the Cabinet with ho- 
nour, if I consented to give there a mere barren 



310 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

solitary vote. I trust, although not very fairly put 
upon my trial, that my conduct is completely justi- 
fied in the eyes of the House and of the country. — 
(^Hear^ hear !^ 

" To all that has been said regarding the mode 
in which the overtures were made, I most heartily 
subscribe ; and no man can pronounce a panegyric 
upon the demeanor of my Noble Friend, which I 
will not cheerfully second : I have known him for 
nearly twenty years, and during that period the 
warmth of my friendship has progressively aug- 
mented, I cast no slur upon the motives that in- 
fluenced him or his colleagues : I believe, nay, I 
am convinced, that they conscientiously entertain 
different sentiments. Here I beg, once for all, to 
state that the point on which we differ is this— ^not, 
as has been constantly and studiously misrepre- 
sented, whether we shall instantly concede, but 
whether this be a question which, in the present 
temper of the times, in the present state of Europe, 
in the present convulsions of the world ; at a pe- 
riod when the public mind is in a ferment, when 
you cannot dispose of the subject with a wish, or 
strangle it with a hair, and when you are not able 
to set it at rest by the strong arm of power, the 
Government should not do that which is best in my 
opinion, and next best in the opinion of the pre- 
sent Servants of the Crown, allow it to come be- 
fore the Cabinet for decision. Thus would the 
public anxiety be allayed, and those repeated an- 
nual discussions, fruitless of any thing but evil, 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 311 

be once for all concluded. In affirming that the 
Roman Catholic Claims should not now be agi- 
tated, Ministers beg the whole question. I do not 
say that immediate concessions should be made: 
all I claim is, that this body of people should be 
sheltered under the protecting wing of the Legisla- 
ture : that their case should be placed in the hands, 
or in the portfolio of the Executive Government. 
By those means, and those only, can you ensure to 
Ireland a happy and peaceful summer, and to the 
Empire, confiding and lasting tranquillity — (Jiear^ 
hear^ hear.) 

When my Honourable Friend opposite (Mr. 
Wilberforce) asserts that measures and not men, 
were to be the main topics of consideration and 
animadversion, he seems to have forgotten that I, 
one of the principal actors in the scene which has 
lately been displayed, have been imperiously called 
upon for a justification of my conduct ; he does not 
recollect that even my reputation is at stake. He, 
of all others, is the one who would pay most atten- 
tion to individual character ; he will not say that 
if you deprive the present race of pigmy men of 
reputation, you destroy almost every claim they 
possess to the gratitude of the nation, and make 
them unworthy of the country in which they were 
born. On my part I can assert with the most 
perfect sincerity, that no disposition has been 
shewn to decline sustaining my share of the bur- 
den of the state in these perilous times. My 
anxiety has been to make them Jess perilous, but 



312 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

upon this great question I have seen not only no 
desire to grant any thing to the Catholics, but not 
even a disposition that an enquiry should be insti- 
tuted." 

Mr. Ryder explained, and Lord Castlereagh re- 
plied, that no pledge had been given to the Catho- 
lics ; for this Sir John Newport charged him with 
duplicity towards them, in not fulfilling implied en- 
gagements, and for pledges unredeemed. His dirty 
trafficking for seats in Parliament was mentioned, as 
also his depriving Ireland of her's. 

Mr. Martin, of Galway, supported the motion, 
and hoped the result of it would be an arrange- 
ment that should comprehend other talents and 
character than were to be met with in the docu- 
ments that day published, (according to which Mr. 
Vansittart was to have been Chancellor of the Ex- 
chequer, &c.) 

Mr. Wortle}^, in reply, said, he had seldom 
heard in that House, a speech containing so many 
unconstitutional assertions as that of Mr. Wilber- 
force. For himself he had taken care not to pledge 
himself to oppose or support this or that govern- 
ment. He thought the Noble Lord Castlereagh 
had failed to prove that all had been done which 
ought to have been done, to for?n an ejfficient admi- 
nistratiofu The House then divided. 

For the previous question - - - 170 
Against it -------- 174 



Majority against Ministers - 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 313 

The motion of Mr. Wortley was then proposed 
and carried without a division. 

Thus fell the last supporters of the Perce - 
valian Administration ; for though it was 
apprehended they would endeavour to rally 
in the House the next evening, it was not 
thought prudent so to do. On the contrar}^, 
the Ministers acknowledged themselves vir- 
tually displaced, and signified that an ad- 
journment would be proper only till a new 
Administration was formed. 



'X/XA'WX 'VX/WW 



PROBABLE CONSEQUENCES 

OF THE 

DEMISE 

OF 

MR. PERCEVAL, 

AND THE 

OVERTHROW OF HIS ADMINISTRATION. 

These are few and obvious. If the eman^ 
cipation of the Catholics should take place, 
the discontent of the people at large will be 
loud and deep ; because, from the low state 
of real religion among us at this period, the 
nation at large is not prepared for such a 
E e 



314 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATJON OF 

concession. If emancipation should be de- 
nied, this will still furai^sh complaint to a 
large party, and deprive government of that 
assistance they might otherwise derive from 
great and eminent talents. If the Orders in 
Council should be rescinded, it is probable 
this measure will not now produce the har- 
vest expected ; nor will any reasoning on the 
subject satisfy the xlamour which will keep 
pace with their continuance, because in- 
terested men are seldom open to convic- 
tion. 

If the war in the Peninsula, according to 
the favourite views of a Noble Marquis, 
should be carried on with new and increased 
vigour, it is evident some other department 
must be starved. The grand result there- 
fore may be, that the successors of Mr. Per- 
ceval, persuading themselves they can con- 
duct the vessel of the state with safety through 
the stormy ocean which still surrounds us, 
after a trial in the same course, will be com- 
pelled to acknowledge their inability to steer 
with more judgment than he did: for, grant- 
ing the captain and pilot can regulate all on 
board, unless they can likewise command the 
elements, and sai/ to the proud waves, be stilly 



THE UIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 315 

whatever opinion they may form of their own 
skill and abilities, they must wait the return 
of a calm before they can exert them to ad- 
vantage. Peace only is that calm which can 
insure our safety ; but unhappily as yet, 
there are none of the would-be pilots, that 
appear able and willing to steer the vessel of 
the state into that wished -for haven. The 
question then is, how much longer can we 
abide the pelting of that pitiless storm which 
has torn up the deepest foundations, and over- 
turned the most ancient establishments in 
Europe ? Yet, as unanimity among the crew 
is the best pledge of success, it is hoped that, 
notwithstanding the difference of their sen- 
timents, we may still be preserved; though 
this, it should be remembered, is always the 
most difficult when the exigencies or mis- 
takes of the voyage render it necessary for 
too great a portion of the crew to be kept 
upon sJwrt allowance^ or w'hen too much se- 
verity is used to keep the rest in obedience. 
If these conclusions be not admitted, then 
the Quern Deus vult perdere prius dementaty 
written upon our foreheads, may be read by 
our posterity with more regret than asto- 
nishment. 



316 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

DEVELOPEMENT 

OF THE 

DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 

Few indeed have been the 'ministers who 
Have distinguished themselves by their lite- 
rary productions, or whose names have been 
handed down to posterity by any other me- 
dium than their measures in the Cabinet. 
But this does not appear to have been the 
fate of the late Chancellor of the Exchequer. 
One at least of his performances in the closet, 
equally with those in the Cabinet or the 
Grand Council of the nation, it seems, will 
be in a great measure known to future ages 
by means of A MOST MYSTERIOUS 
BOOK. This book, the real contents of 
which have indeed been seen by very few, 
has been the cause of several attempts to 
impose sor^iething else upon the public, as 
bein.o; " THE SPIRIT OF THE BOOK,'' 
and the History of certain transactions be- 
tween some exalted personages, &c. &c. but 



THE niGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 317 

without any ground whatever beyond con- 
jecture founded upon the general knowledge 
of a disagreement between the parties, &c. 
We shall now trace these rumours to their 
source, and, aided by the clue of probability, 
explore a labyrinth of error and perplexity, 
till we arrive at a more evident degree of cer- 
tainty upon the subject, than has hitherto been 
obtained. 

In the year 1806, during the existence of 
the Talent Administration, it for the first 
time transpired, that very serious disputes ex- 
isted between the Prince and his Royal 
Consort, and that his Majesty corresponded 
with the Princess upon the subject, and fi- 
nally issued his command, that an Investi- 
gation should take place, and which was 
accordingly undertaken by a special com- 
mittee chosen from a certain number of no- 
blemen. 

On the part of one of these eminent per- 
sonages, the whole of this business was con- 
ducted by Mr. Perceval, and, when con- 
cluded, it was Mr. Perceval that caused the 
whole proceedings to be thrown into the form, 
of a Book, and two large impressions of them 
to be printed, notwithstanding every bidi- 
E e 2 



318 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

vidual person engaged in this business was 
sworn to observe the most inviolable se- 
cresy ! ! ! 

That it was the object of Mr. Perceval in 
his proceedings relative to the Book, from 
its first composition, to secure to himself the 
high oifice he filled, can no longer be 
doubted. In vain was the anxiety of per- 
sons expressed for its publication ; for from 
the moment it suited Mr. Perceval's puqx)se 
to conceal it, it was determined the public 
should not be gratified. One or two copies 
for his Royal Master, as far as Mr. Perce- 
val knew, were sufficient for his purpose. 
The Book was the stepping stone to the 
height of the late Minister's ambition, and 
he saw and availed himself of the moment 
when any thing he chose to ask could not 
be denied. The contents of the Book were 
concealed as a sacred deposit, and Mr. Per- 
ceval kept the key ; and thus for a while 
seemed to consider himself a King of 
Kings ! 

On this high ground, feeling himself 
without a rival, which Mr. Perceval could 
brook as little as any man in power, he went 
on nearly three years before he attended to 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 319 

the whispers that some copies of the MYS- 
TERIOUS BOOK were in the hands of 
several persons. This rising uneasiness, it 
is supposed, produced the following adver- 
tisement. 

'' THE BOOK."— Any person having in their 
possession a Certain Book, printed by Mr. Ed- 
wards, in 1807, but never published^ with W. 
Lindsell's name as ihe seller of the same on the 
tide page, and will bring it to W. Lindseil, book- 
seller, Wimpole street, will receive a handsome 
gratuity." — Times Paper ^ 27th March^ 1809. 

Mr. Perceval's feai's on this head were 
not groundless ; for several persons, encou- 
raged by the large sums asked by a few 
holders of the book, came forward ; some 
received five hundred, some eight, and one 
person fifteen hundred guineas for a copy. 
In fact, it is supposed, that not less than 
twenty thousand pounds were expended in 
buying up and concealing Mr. Perceval's 
MYSTERIOUS BOOK from the public 
eye. 

But in spite of all these precautions, it 
was Mr. Perceval's fate to be again visited 
with dreadful forebodings, in relation to the 



320 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

Book, only a short time before his decease, 
when the Bill for making provision for the 
Princesses was before the Commons. He 
then sent for every person whom he knew 
was acquainted with the Book, and ex- 
pressed his apprehensions that its contents 
had been improperly divulged. As it might 
be expected on such an occasion, these per- 
sons attested their innocence, and Mr. Per- 
ceval either was, or pretended to be, satis- 
fied. 

All this, upon which the public may rely, 
ought to convince them likewise of the little 
reliance that should be placed upon what has 
been called " The Spirit of the Book," or 
any other publication which has pretended 
to narrate a histor}^ of the difference between 
two exalted personages. 

Relative to what has been said in Parlia- 
ment with respect to this MYSTERIOUS 
BOOK, we shall refer to what was said re- 
specting die Prince Regent's Message, de- 
livered on Wednesday, March 20th, relative 
to provision for the Princesses, when refer- 
ring to the speech of Mr. Bennett, the Chan- 
ceUor of the Exchequer said, that 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 321 

'* with regard to the separation of the Royal Per- 
sons alluded to, he should say nothing. He might 
and did lament it as much as any one could, but 
neither as a Minister, nor in any other character, 
did he feel himself called upon to say any thing on 
the subject. — {HeaVy hear^ hear!) As to what 
had been said respecting the grant of the 10,0001. 
additional to the Queen, the committee must be 
aware, that it was entirely of a different nature 
from that now under consideration. Its object was 
to enable the Queen to meet expences which she 
would be likely to incur unconnected in any man- 
ner with the Princesses. There was no increase 
in the Civil List of the Prince of Wales above 
that of the King, on the contrary, there was a dimi- 
nution. 

" Mr. Whitbread defended his Hon. Friend 
(Mr. Bennett), from the charge of inconsistency, 
and thought it most natural, that he should wish 
to see the Princess of Wales placed in that situa- 
tion in which he believed every person in the 
country wished to see her. It was rather alarming 
to understand from the Right Honourable Gentle- 
man, that if a reconciliation should take place in a 
quarter where every one must desire it, the Right 
Honourable Gentleman would have to come down 
to the House to ask a new grant. There was no 
impropriety in inquiring as to the situation of the 
Princess of Wales. The Right Hon. Gentleman 
bad said, that he would state nothing as Ministei 



322 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 

on the subject ; but the time was, when the Right 
Hon. Gentleman was not only willing to give in- 
formation to every subject in the country, but had 
a hook ready^ which was to have gone not only 
through the Public of this Country, but through 
all Europe. This hooky the Right Hon. Gentleman 
had since purchased up and suppressed^ for what 
reason he knew not. Undoubtedly, as counsel to 
her Royal Highness, he was in a situation the most 
natural to be called upon for information, though 
it was possible he might now remain mute, when 
he intended to have had ten thousand tongues be- 
fore. But the Princess of Wales was not only 
inferior to the Queen in point of real income, but 
the Queen had the advantage of being also on the 
establishment with her Husband. The Princess 
of Wales, on the contrary, was living in retirement, 
at Blackheath, for as to separation, though he 
and others had used the word, the public knew 
nothing more than that she lived in retirement ; 
and now they knew, that if ever matters came on a 
better footing, a fresh grant of money would be 
demanded. It had been said, that they might go 
into the Inquiry on the Civil List after the grant 
was made ; but making the grant under such cir- 
cur.^.stances, was parting with an advantage to v.hich 
he could not consent. He should concur with his 
Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Ponsonby), in voting 
against the Resolution." 

Being further pressed on the subject by 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 323 

Mr. Tiemey, the Chancellor of the Exche- 
quer said, that 

" as to what he was bouud to do as far as it affected 
his own character and conduct, he should always 
judge for himself. (Hear, hear!) He did not 
know with what view the Right Hon. Gentleman 
now came forward, but he had no objection to 
state, that neither in his character as Counsel to 
her Royal Highness, in which he had important 
duties to perform, nor as Minister, nor in any other 
capacity, did he see any means of bringing a charge 
against her Royal Highness, nor did he entertain 
any opinion calculated to throw the slightest re- 
flection upon her, and further than this he should 
not state. As to the situation of her Royal High- 
ness, he had no instruction to propose any addition- 
al grant j but if the Right Hon. Gentleman, who 
now, for the first time, suggested it, could induce 
Parliament to think favourably of such a measure, 
he should be inclined, for one, to give that disposi- 
tion its full effect." 

" Mr. Whitbread thought it extraordinary, that 
the Right Hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the 
Exchequer ) should recommend parliament to 
send a message to the Prince. He had stated, 
that he received no instruction to propose a grant 
to the Princess of Wales, that was, in other words, 
he had given no advice to that effect. They had 
heard the Right Hon. Gentleman state, but a few 
minutes ago, that no imputation could attach to 



324 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 

her Royal Highness, but he should not forget that 
she did at one time stand stigmatized, that he was 
once about to publish in her defence, but that she 
still remained unvindicated. 

" The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, what he 
had stated with respect to the Princess of Wales, 
was, that neither in his situation as Counsel to her 
Royal Highness, nor in any other character, was he 
conscious that there existed a ground of charge* 
He should always be prepared to make the same, 



Upon this important debate it was ob- 
served at tlie time, that " Mr. Perceval; 
the pious Mr. Perceval, had been the Coun- 
sellor and friend of this illustrious, and, we 
belie^^e, deeply injured personage — he had 
been the champion of her cause, and the- 
Public Accuser of those suspected of having 
aimed a blow against her reputation and her' 
happiness — he proclaimed her innocence, and 
defied her enemies to substantiate a single ^ 
charge derogatory to her honour — yet the 
rnoment he had it in his power to serve her, 
and prove the sincerity of his former profes- 
sions, the religious, the pious^ the moral Mr. : 
Perceval, passes by his Client with marked 
neglect — he abandons his friend — the ' illus- 
trious and injured Stranger' is forgotten; 



THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 325 

and in the intended arrangements for the 
comfort and dignity of the Princess of 
England, the Wife of his Royal Master — 
the Princess Regent, the future Queen of the 
British Empire, is not noticed ! not even 
once alluded to in the message from the 
Throne, though that message was drawn 
up and presented to the Legislature under 
the direction of her late Counsellor and 
friend ! — The tear may fall upon the cheek 
of injured beauty, but the pious Mr. Perceval 
w ill not stretch forth his hand to cheer the 
sufferer, lest he should lose his balance, 
and totter from the seat of power!! In the 
course of this debate, the reported Separation, 
the Delicate Liqiiiry, and the suppression of 
The Book^ were all touched upon. At last, 
Mr. Perceval — the pious, — the tolerant Mr. 
Perceval rose, with, apparently, great re- 
luctance, and coldly declared, ' he could not 
recollect any thing which it was possible to 
bri?ig as a charge against the Princess of 
JFales,^ — Now, this we conceive the impcr* 
tant point; for a total separation has been 
much spoken of; and it has been roundly 
and very generally asserted, that the intended 
measure of separation was closely connected 

Ff 



326 LIFE AND ADMINISTOATIOIS^ OT 

^vith Mr. PerGeval's continuance in office; Ijut 
as tlie Minister cannot bring a charge of cri- 
minality, THERE CAN BE NO GROUND FOR 

THE SEPARATION — and this may ii Itimately 
}>reserve England from much distraction and 
calamity. 

This discussion, it was 'fondly imagined, 
would have been the means of bringing be- 
fore the public the whole of that History 
which the thi^e great Counsellors of her 
Hoyal Highness, an illustrious Duke, the 
present Lord Chancellor, and the late Chan- 
cellor of the Exchequei% thought fit at the 
time (1805) to print, as the means of her 
iustiiication. — That the materials which Mr. 
Ferceval printed, were considered as suffici- 
ent for her justiiication, were beyond all 
doubt. 

As to her Royal Highness's debts, it was 
perhaps in this respect rather illiberal to refer 
to the fetes and the parties at Blackheath to 
all the Percevals, and all the friends and fa- 
^.^ourites of the Percevals, including tlie 
Wilsons, &c. ; her Royal Highness' s libe- 
rality in christening presents to the little Per- 
cevals, and all their maids, and all their w:et- 
ilurses, and all their drv -nurses. It is admit- 



THE UIGHT HON. S, PERCEVAL. 327 

ted that at Blackheath her Royal Highness 
became >f 50,000 in debt. If, ii]X)n an enquiry 
into the items of that account, it will be 
found that the fomily of Mr. Perceval, then 
her hero, advocate, and champion, helixid 
her to spend it, how does it become him to 
say that he has no provision to offer for her, 
and reproach those who consult her rights 
and the dignity of the Throne with an inter- 
ested interference, merely because they never 
partook of her boimt}? 

Mr. Perceval, who knows right ^^•ell the 
author of the mysterious book ; Mr. Perceval, 
the ci-devant champion of the Princess of 
Wales, ^^'cll ac(juainted with all the Delicate 
ln^•cstigation ; Mr. Perceval, the Prince's 
favourite, and the Prime Minister of Eng- 
land, admitted in his place in the House of 
Commons, that her Royal Highness has come 
pure and untouched out of the fiery ordeal. 
Wh}-, then, is she not admitted to enjoy, at 
least, the cold formalities of Court etiquettCy 
and the other exterior advantages of her ex- 
alted rank? This Court etiquette may, no 
doubt, have no charms for her, but it would 
infuse life, and health, and spirit, into thou- 
stmds. Every tradesman in London has felt 



328 LIFE, ADMINISTRATION, &C. 

the beneficial effects of a Birth- day Ball, or 
a Drawing-room at St. James's, even at the 
close of a reign, uniformly remarkable for 
patriarchal simplicity in the Sovereign. 

Then, what a stimulus might be given to 
the declining trade of this great metropolis 
by a brilliant Court, amply supplied as it 
is by the public, under the auspices of a Prin- 
cess (now pronounced injured) amiable and 
blameless, and a Prince, always celebrated 
for taste, magnificence, and splendour. 



THE EJJ"D.. 



